RWBY: A Huntress's Amnesia
by SeraShadow
Summary: An unknown girl (OC) with white hair and purple eyes wakes up in the middle of Forever Fall forest with no clue who she is or how she got there. Professor Ozpin nor his companions have any clue who she is, so like he did with Ruby Rose, the headmaster decides to enroll the mystery girl in Beacon. Follow her adventures through Remnant as she tries to pick up the pieces of her past.
1. Amnesia

In the middle of a forest clearing , a lone girl lay unconscious, moonlight shining across her body. She was dressed in a red tank top, black skinny jeans, and black combat boots. Her body was slim but athletic and toned, her skin lightly tanned, and her snow-white hair was medium length and almost reached her shoulders. She had tattoos of an Omega symbol on her left bicep, and on her right shoulder, a large purple tattoo that resembled flower petals reached from just above her elbow to her collar bone.

After a moment, the young girl's eyes fluttered open, then she immediately sat up and scanned the surrounding area. She looked up at the broken moon in the sky, her purple eyes shining in the light. She held her head with a hand, feeling nauseous.

"Where...am I?" she asked herself, slowly getting to her feet. The white-haired girl's eyes widened once something dawned on her.

"Hold on, _who_ am I?"

Her mind was blank. The only memory she had was of waking up on the forest floor. She couldn't even remember her own name.

She did a quick 360, then stopped once she spotted a massive tower in the distance.

The red leaves in the trees swayed in the wind, a faint, sweet smell on the air.

"Well, that seems like a good place to find answers," the girl deduced aloud, walking towards the skyscraper-like tower, dry leaves crunching under her boots.

"Why would I not have any memories? I mean, people don't just lose their memories! Or do they...? Ugh, I have no idea. Probably because I can't REMEMBER!" she groaned and kicked the dirt.

Not long after beginning her trek to the tower, the purple-eyed amnesiac heard the rustling of bushes, and a low growl. She immediately turned towards the sound, her body tense and eyes wary.

Then a tall, black creature stood out of the bushes. Its fur was black with white bone-like armor covering parts of its body, and its yellow eyes filled with hatred.

"That doesn't seem good for my health," the girl noted as the creature got on all fours and roared at her.

"Uh, hey there. You wouldn't happen to know a faster way to that tower over there would you?" she asked.

The canine creature lunged, attempting to swipe her with its razor-sharp claws.

"I'll take that as a 'no'!" she squeaked and raised her arms instinctively to shield herself. The girl squeezed her eyes shut for three heart beats before slowly opening her eyes and peering through her raised arms. The creature was hung in midair, still poised to attack. Its fangs were apart in a frozen roar, but showed no intent of moving.

"What the-?" the girl stepped out of the way and to the side of the beast, examining it in its frozen state.

"How is it like this?" she asked, then noticed something. The leaves were no longer swaying with the wind and the sounds of the forest had completely stopped. It was if someone had hit the pause button on reality.

"How do I know what a pause button is if I can't remember anything?" she asked herself, but as soon as she said that, everything moved again. The monster continued its attack, roaring as if the "resume" button had been pressed.

"Crikey!" the girl cursed, then began to do the only reasonable thing someone could do in this situation: run.

Before the beast could realize what had happened, the girl was running towards the massive tower, her white hair whipping around in the wind as she ran.

 _"I gotta get out of here!"_ the young lady thought to herself as she ran through the brambles and briars of the forest, getting small scratches in random places on her arms and legs.

After several minutes of nonstop running, the white-haired girl came to a halt, putting her hands on her knees to catch her breath.

"Okay, big monster bad. Big tower good. Have to get to big tower before the monster can catch up." she said to herself between short breaths.

That's when she noticed something peculiar. The scratches that she'd gained from the bushes were already healed.

"Huh?" she asked herself and examined her arms. "They're gone...?"

"ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAR" a growl came from not far away.

"Dammit." the girl cursed and began to run as quickly and silently as she could towards the tower.

"This is ridiculous! I wake up in a forest with no memory, then immediately start getting chased by some wolf thing! And what was up with everything stopping like that?" she mentally asked herself as she ran.

While she was busy thinking, she didn't notice the low hanging branch not far in front of her.

 _"Who am I supposed to be? I mean, I had to have been someone before-"_

 _WHACK!_

She hit the branch full force, slamming onto the ground back-first.

"Ouch..." she groaned as she sat up and rubbed her head, her vision a little blurry. Once it cleared up enough to make out her surroundings, her breath hitched.

"Uh oh..."

The black furred monster was in eyesight, loping toward her on all fours.

All the lone girl could do was once again raise her arms defensively and squeeze her eyes tight.

Instead of all sounds coming to an abrupt stop, she heard the sound of two thuds, as if two bodies hit the ground. Before she opened her eyes, she noticed that the roar had ceased all of a sudden, just before two objects landed on the forest floor.

The girl opened her eyes quickly to find the monster on the ground, sliced in half at the waist. But, while she was staring at the eviscerated beast, she noticed a pair of shoes, and her eyes drifted upward. Standing in front of her was a tall man dressed in black slacks, a stylish white button up shirt, and a red cape-like piece of cloth on the back of his shirt. His styled black hair rustled in the wind, and his red eyes held a look of curiosity in them.

"Hey kid, you doing okay?" he asked in a rough voice, a massive sword resting on one shoulder.

"I am now." the girl replied as she cautiously got to her feet. "Thanks."

"No problem, it's my job. Name's Qrow. And you are...?" he asked.

"I- I have no idea."

Qrow's eyes narrowed, "Excuse me?"

The girl sighed and ran her fingers through her hair with one hand.

"I woke up in this forest not long ago, with no idea of who I am or what I'm doing here."

He blinked once at her.

"Right. Well, that's not too good, is it?"

The girl gave him a look that said, _"No shit, genius."_

"Alright alright, don't get your britches in a bunch. Apparently, you're suffering from amnesia. But what do I do with you? You very well can't stay here." he pondered aloud.

"I was heading for that big tower. Seemed like a good idea while I was running for my life." the girl said.

Qrow glanced in the direction of the tower, then rested his chin in his hand as if he were thinking.

"You might've been onto something there. That there is Beacon Tower, and I'm taking you to it." he said with a smirk.

The girl's eyes widened, "You will?"

"Yeah why not. Besides, I have a hunch." Qrow replied.

The girl tilted her head in curiosity at the older man's words.

"Huh?"

"Think about it, kid. You wake up with no memory and no idea who you are, then you see that big tower and feel an attraction to it."

"To be fair, it's the only sign of civilization here."

Qrow seemed to consider this, "Guess you have a point there. But still, we should go. I have a guy that may be able to help."

"Yes, please," the girl smiled gratefully.

The Huntsman smirked, "All right then, let's get going."

The walk through the dark forest was extremely uneventful. The only sound being of Qrow telling the nameless girl about the academy known as Beacon, and trying to help her remember anything of her past.

"So it's a fighting school?" she asked after Qrow's explanation.

"Basically, yeah. But also more than that. That creature you were running from? Not the only one. That's what hunters and huntresses do: fight to protect those who can't protect themselves."

"Like a super hero?"

"...My niece would like you." Qrow sighed.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Anyways, huntsmen and huntresses protect the people from those creatures, the Grimm."

"Grimm? It's weird, but I feel like I knew that already..." the white-haired girl rubbed the back of her neck.

"It's not surprising, even an amnesiac would remember the Grimm." Qrow laughed dryly.

The white-haired girl laughed with him, but stopped almost immediately. In the middle of her laugh, an image filled her head, like a video playback. The image of herself and another girl were standing in a great hall, laughing as if they had heard a hilarious joke. Once she had stopped laughing, the amnesiac turned to the girl beside her and grinned. This other girl had long, dark blue hair and sea green eyes. She wore a plain blue sleeveless tank top, jeans, and combat boots, and the white-haired girl wore the same thing she woke up in the forest in.

"Jeez, it's been a while since I've heard one that good!" the blue haired girl laughed.

"I know right, Red's the one that told me it." the amnesiac smiled.

"That guy's always got the best jokes, where does he even get em?"

"No idea, honestly. Ooh ooh, remember that one-liner he said during that Deathstalker fight?" the white hair girl laughed, her purple eyes twinkling with humor.

"Oh Dust, that was so lame! It's like he's got the best jokes, but when it comes to one-liners, he's horrible."

"I swear Cerulean, the dude needs to work on that. And he's on our own team!" she smirked, but as soon as she said it, the memory faded to black.

"Kid, kid! Are you all right?" Qrow shook her shoulders.

She shook her head and checked her surroundings.

"Yeah, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Kid, you blacked out for a few seconds. If I hadn't caught you, you'd have fell over."

"Well... I think I remembered something. A girl that I apparently know were laughing about something." she scratched her head.

His eyes widened for a moment, then he nodded.

By time the girl explained her flashback, she and Qrow made it to the edge of the forest, a city in sight.

"Cerulean, huh? Haven't heard of her, or this boy Red, but we'll get to the bottom of it. Good work, kid, we have a lead. Now we just have to get to Beacon Tower." Qrow pointed at the distant structure.

The girl gasped at the sight of the city. The bright lights lit up the night sky, giving a distinct glow.

"Well kid we made it, welcome to the city of Vale." Qrow looked back at her with a smirk.

. . .

"This place is massive!" the girl marveled at the city as she and Qrow made their way to Beacon.

"That's right kid, just wait till you see the school." Qrow chuckled. He and the nameless girl passed countless shops and vendors that sold everything they could think of. Clothes, food, trinkets and baubles, weapons, Dust, armor, accessories, and much more. The girl stopped to browse the weapons and clothes a couple times, admiring the various styles and designs.

"Look at this death axe! No wait, this jacket would look great! Ooh, what about these boots?" she squealed in excitement.

 _"Jeez, maybe_ both _Yang and Ruby would like her."_ Qrow thought to himself as he watched the white-haired stranger jump from vendor to vendor.

"Alright kid, we gotta get going. But hey, at least you're learning more about yourself out here. You like weapons and clothes. Reminds me of a couple upstarts I know."

"Do we gotta? This battle coat is sooo badass." the girl whined.

"Yes, we gotta. How old even are you? Cause you look about seventeen or eighteen, but act like you're twelve."

The girl tossed the coat back and returned to Qrow, "Fine."

"C'mon, Snowball, you've got a meeting with destiny."

"Call me Snowball again and you'll meet your destiny at a much faster rate." she glared.

"...I like you." Qrow responded.

. . .

"Qrow said what?" a certain blonde professor demanded.

"A mysterious young lady was found in Forever Fall with no memory and no idea of who she once was. He's bringing her here because she needs our help, Glynda." Professor Ozpin said coolly, then took a sip from his coffee mug.

"I understand that, but what if this is a trap from... You know who?" Glynda Goodwitch asked.

"Then we'll cross that bridge when we get there. You worry too much. I understand the risks, but how could a young girl with amnesia be a significant danger to this school and its inhabitants?"

Glynda raised her eyebrows at the silver-haired headmaster.

"It'll be fine, Glynda." Ozpin chuckled with a humored light in his eyes.

"I know what you're thinking."

"Whatever do you mean?" the headmaster sat in his chair.

"You're going to try and admit her into the school, just like you did with Ruby Rose." Glynda crossed her arms.

Professor Ozpin smirked and turned to look out of the tall windows in his office.

"Never could get anything past you, could I?" he sipped his coffee.

"Speak of the Grimm." Glynda approached the window and gazed down at the courtyard. They were barely visible, but Qrow was very distinct. She could spot that bad hair from anywhere.

"Well, it seems our mystery girl has arrived." Ozpin got up from his chair and stood next to Glynda.

. . .

"So this is the school, huh? The big fightin' place? I feel right at home already." our favorite amnesiac placed her hands on her hips and took in the sight of the campus.

"That's right, Snowball."

The mystery girl glared daggers at Qrow, who grinned in response. For the entire walk from the Commercial District, Qrow teased the young girl by calling her Snowball, which she hated immensely.

"I'd beat you down if I didn't need you," she continued her glare.

"Yeah but ya can't, so I win." Qrow glanced up at Beacon Tower.

"Rrrrgh." she gritted her teeth.

"Yeah, Yang's gonna love you." Qrow ruffled her hair, then continued to walk towards the Tower.

The girl groaned angrily and followed him.

"WHO IS YANG?" she demanded.

. . .

"Where are you even going to put her if she accepts? There are no teams available, and having a team made up of five people is absolutely unheard of! Please tell me that's not what you're thinking of doing." Professor Goodwitch followed Ozpin through the halls of the Tower.

Professor Ozpin did not reply.

"That's what I thought," she sighed.

"You should know me well enough by now to know I'd do this."

"I did know you'd do this. I knew as soon as you said Qrow was bringing an amnesiac."

"Maybe there's hope for you yet."

Glynda sighed, "Again, we don't know a thing about her."

"Then this will be an excellent time to learn."

"Let's just get this over wi-"

"I SWEAR, OLD MAN. IN A CAR. OFF A CLIFF." a loud voice yelled, interrupting Glynda.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say." a familiar, gruff voice replied.

Just ahead of the headmaster and witch, Qrow was walking towards them, his hands in his pockets, with a fuming white-haired girl behind him.

"Qrow. Long time, no see." Ozpin greeted.

"Sup, Oz. Well, here's the chick. An adorable snowball of rage." Qrow smirked.

"I WILL BE YOUR DEATH." she pointed a finger in the drunkard's face.

He shrugged with an uninterested expression on his face. "Meh."

"Qrow." Glynda said.

"Glynda." Qrow replied.

Ozpin seemed unfazed by the young girl's anger towards Qrow, though it didn't seem like rage, more of a comical fury.

"Hello there. I hear you're having a few problems with your memory." Ozpin said kindly.

"That's an understatement." the girl crossed her arms.

"Right. Well, perhaps I could help with that." Ozpin smiled.

"That's what Bird Brain keeps telling me." she allowed a small smile.

"Bird brain?" Qrow asked, a look of genuine curiosity and worry on his face.

"Your name is literally 'crow'."

Qrow and Ozpin looked relieved.

"With a Q, not a C." Qrow said, smirking.

"Anyway," Ozpin said, changing the subject. "We'll try to assist you. Now, is there anything you can tell us?"

The girl nodded, "Sure. On the way here, I remembered some random memory. A girl named Cerulean and I were laughing about some joke that a boy named Red had apparently told us."

"Anything else?"

She shook her head.

Ozpin sighed, "Very well. So you have absolutely no idea who you are?"

"None."

"But we have learned a bit about her. She likes clothes, weapons, and doesn't like my nicknames for her. She's sassy, sarcastic, and prone to rage." Qrow told him and Glynda.

"I am _not_ prone to rage." she crossed her arms.

"Defiant as well, it seems." the headmaster chuckled lightly.

"Oh, also, her semblance is odd. While a Beowolf was attacking her, she was suddenly out of the way of its attack in the blink of an eye." Qrow explained.

The girl turned to him angrily, "You were _there?"_

"Uh, whoops." Qrow scratched the back of his head.

She began to start yelling profane things at the scythe wielder, leaving him to chuckle nervously and try and survive the onslaught.

While the two of them were busy, Ozpin held his chin in his hand as if he were in deep thought.

"A semblance that allows her to teleport instantly?" he asked.

The girl, hearing this, stopped berating Qrow and faced the old headmaster.

"It's more than that, I think. When the Grimm was jumping at me, I closed my eyes and raised my arms to protect myself. But nothing happened, so I opened my eyes to see it stuck in midair, as if someone had paused reality. The trees stopped blowing in the wind and all noise stopped as well." she explained.

Glynda looked at Ozpin's expression and Qrow looked at the girl.

"That, I did not know. Why didn't you tell me that?" Qrow asked.

"Because I didn't know what to make of it, that's why." she said defensively.

 _"I'd heard of someone with such a semblance, but I didn't think it was true. Then again, we live in a world of great evils and gods, so of course this would exist as well."_ Ozpin thought to himself. Qrow and Glynda were probably thinking the same.

"Kid, you gotta tell us things like that." Qrow told her.

"I don't even _know_ any of you, thank you very much." she replied.

"You don't _know_ anyone right now, remember?" the scythe-wielder retorted, a smirk on his lips at his double joke.

"That may be true, but Qrow is right. We're trying to help you with this, so perhaps you could show a little respect, young lady." Glynda told her.

"Or what, you're gonna spank me with that crop, Miss Dominatrix?" she asked.

Qrow put his hand over his mouth and stepped back.

Glynda's eye twitched and raised her hand, preparing to slap the girl.

In mid swing, Ozpin spoke up, halting the blow, "Glynda, I hope you're not attempting to attack our guest. She woke up in the middle of Forever Fall with no memory to be chased by Grimm and brought to an unknown city by a stranger. I'd be upset as well if I were her."

 _"Thank_ you." the girl put a hand on her hip.

"And you," Ozpin turned to her, causing her to jump. "You're not going to behave like this all the time, or you will not be allowed to become a student at this academy."

"I promise it won't happen agai- wait, what?"

Ozpin smirked and his eyes turned kind, "Well, do you have a better idea? Where else are you going to stay until you get your memory back?"

The girl fidgeted and glanced downward, then back at the headmaster, "I dunno, I thought I'd be on the streets or something."

"Nonsense, I'd never allow a young lady in need to sleep on the streets." he smiled kindly.

"Plus you wanted another student." Glynda mumbled, but Ozpin ignored her.

"I also want to learn more about your supposed semblance, and I'm intrigued to learn who you really are." he smiled.

"I-I don't know what to say." she looked at Qrow.

"Don't say anything, just come with me to meet your new team and roommates." he told her.

"So you've decided on what team to put her in?" Glynda asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ozpin gave a small smile, looking at Qrow.

Qrow chuckled and ran his fingers through his hair, "I figured so."

The white-haired girl could only look between the three adults in front of her with a puzzled expression on her face.

. . .

"I swear if Port's class were any more boring, watching one of Weiss's performances would actually be enjoyable." Yang Xiao Long sighed as she and her team made their way back to their dorm.

"Hey!" Weiss exclaimed, extremely offended.

"You're right, not even Port's class would be worse than that."

 _SMACK!_

"What gives?! Yang exclaimed, rubbing the back of her head and turning to Weiss.

"Serves you right!" she responded.

"Guys come on, not today." Ruby groaned as she turned the doorknob to their dorm room.

"You two do this every day, give it a rest." Blake agreed as she entered their room.

"Yeah well, can't be helped." Yang sighed and went into their room.

Almost as soon as the door shut, someone knocked.

"Hm? Who could that be?" Weiss asked as she twisted the doorknob.

"UNNNNCLLLEEEEE QROOOOOOOW" Ruby exclaimed and collided with the tall huntsman, hanging onto him in a koala hug.

"Hey there, Ace. What's up Firecracker? Hello, Blake. Ice Queen." Qrow greeted.

"Hey!" Weiss replied.

"Sup." Yang gave a wave from her bed.

"So they get good nicknames, but the best you got for me is 'Snowball'?" the amnesiac asked, standing beside Professor Ozpin.

"Yeah, cause I _like_ them." Qrow responded as he tried to pry Ruby off of him, but she wasn't budging.

"Hello, girls." Ozpin greeted.

"Hello Professor." Weiss curtsied.

"Hey Professor." Blake turned a page in the book she was reading.

"Sup." Yang waved from her bed again.

"This young lady here is going to be staying with you from now on. Think of her as a fifth team member." Ozpin explained.

"WHAT?" Weiss exclaimed.

"Huh?" Yang asked.

"That doesn't sound right," Blake responded.

"YAY!" Ruby squealed.

"I know, I know. But the thing is, this girl has no memory of who she is. She is suffering from a bad case of amnesia, and I've allowed her to stay here until she regains her memory. I've chosen you to house her and teach her about Beacon, so I trust that you'll treat her with respect. Take care, I have things I must attend to." Ozpin told them, then began to walk down the hallway, his cane twirling in his hand.

"Amnesia?" Ruby asked.

"You can't remember anything?" Blake asked, closing her book and sitting up.

"That's right, so show her the ropes, eh?" Qrow told them.

"As heiress of the Schnee Dust Company, I humbly accept the offer." Weiss smiled.

The amnesiac's eye twitched, "I hate that name for some reason."

She couldn't explain it, but it was similar to the Grimm. It was like that name was ingrained in her mind, and no amount of amnesia could wash it away.

"I like her already." Blake smirked.

Meanwhile, Weiss stamped her foot in anger and puffed her cheeks out. "And why is that?"

"I can't explain it, but that name just reminds me of... Bad things." she replied.

Ruby and Yang nodded in understanding.

"While I'd love to stay here and discuss the dark crimes of the SDC, I gotta get going too." Qrow told them, still struggling with Ruby.

"But you just got here!" Ruby whined, tightening her grip on her uncle.

"Come on, Ace. You know I've got my top-secret missions to tend to." he replied.

"Top-secret missions?" she asked, her grip loosening.

"That's right, and I can't do them with you clinging to me like this." he looked down at her. Ruby promptly let go and fell to the floor. With a sly smirk, Qrow got halfway out the door before waving, "See you kids later." Then he was gone.

"So is it always like this with them?" the white-haired girl asked Yang.

"Always. So, I'm Yang, nice to meetcha, and you are...?" Yang greeted.

"No idea, can't remember. But Qrow has told me a bit about you four." the girl grinned.

Yang put a hand on her hip and raised an eyebrow, "Oh yeah? What'd he say?"

"Ruby Rose, the highly energetic and childlike leader. You, the easily angered and brash brawler that just _loves_ her hair. Blake Belladonna, the quiet Faunus that mostly keeps to herself. And finally, Ice Queen, the spoiled, uppity heiress. That accurate?"

"Especially Weiss'" Yang grinned.

"Your uncle kept telling me I'd like you and your sister."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah apparently I remind him of a middle ground between you and Ruby. Think that's why he keeps messing with me." she rolled her eyes.

"Messing with you? How?" Yang asked, narrowing her eyes.

"He keeps calling me Snowball because of my hair." she groaned.

Yang's expression disappeared, and was replaced with one of absolute humor.

"HAHAHAHAHA." Yang began laughing, falling on the floor.

"It's not even that funny." Blake sighed.

"I have to agree with Blake here, it's not that big a deal." Weiss raised an eyebrow.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, SNOWBALL!" Ruby giggled, her high-pitched voice dominating the room.

The girl with white hair only stood there, almost appearing that steam would blow out of her ears. Then, something switched in her head. She grinned, her face lighting up for the first time after being called that. She started laughing with the sisters, albeit less intense.

"This is getting out of hand. Now there are three of them." Weiss groaned.

"Have you finished?" Blake asked.

At those words, the girl's eyes shot open, her vision turning black around the edges.

 _"Another memory?"_ she thought to herself eagerly.

A setting filled her head, a rocky terrain with a few humanoid figures scattered around. She saw that girl from her first memory, Cerulean. There was also a boy with black hair, red eyes, and a red jacket with short sleeves. The three of them were apparently in a fight, an extremely large black scorpion attacking them.

"Red, go for its tail!" the amnesiac shouted.

"Got it!" he replied, then began shooting at the tail. He used a metallic black and red combat rifle that fired on automatic.

"Cerulean, try to cripple its legs!" she ordered.

"Right!" Cerulean grinned, then transformed her lever action rifle into a trident taller than she is. She leapt towards the Grimm, slicing at as many legs as she could with her weapon.

Before Red could finish off the tail, the Deathstalker used it to slam Cerulean in the side, knocking her a hundred feet away.

"Cerulean!" Red exclaimed, but kept his focus on the Grimm.

"Just keep on it, we can take it!" the girl shouted.

"It's attacking!" Red yelled.

"Just shoot!" she yelled again, but failed to notice the pincer that was going straight for her.

"Agh!" she yelled in pain, the pincer clamping around her waist, her left arm pinned with it. She tried to free herself, but it was hopeless. The massive Grimm was much too strong for her.

She could feel the pincer tightening around her waist, making it harder to breathe and causing her vision to get darker. She then felt warm liquid on her chest and back, and looked down to see her red tank top getting wet and redder. It took no time at all for her aura to dissipate, leaving her prone to be injured, or worse.

Pain intensified around her waist, causing her to scream in agony.

"Sera!" Red yelled, forgetting the tail and running for her, legitimate fear in his eyes.

Back in the real world, the formerly nameless girl's eyes shot open. All of team RWBY was looking down at her. Apparently, she was on the floor now.

"Are you all right?" Ruby asked, genuine concern on her face.

The white-haired girl grinned and sat up, an excited light in her eyes.

"I know my name!" she laughed, looking at all of them.

Their eyes widened. Yang grinned, Ruby and Blake smiled, and Weiss gave her a Curt nod.

"Well, what is it?" Ruby asked excitedly.

"Are we not gonna address why she was unconscious for several minutes?" Blake asked nonchalantly.

"It's Sera!" she smiled.

"That's so cool!" Ruby squealed.

"Ruby I'm starting to think you think everything is cool about her because she has amnesia." Weiss crossed her arms.

"I can't help it! It's like straight out of a movie or something!" Ruby squealed.

"Wait, how long did you say I was out for?" Sera said, looking at Blake.

"Several minutes. My only question: why?" Blake asked.

Sera took a deep breath, then got to her feet.

"Random memory flashback. The first one I got was with Qrow, and now it's happened again."

"What happened in it?" Ruby asked excitedly.

Sera winced at the thought, remembering the pain on her body.

"Oh you know, just a fight." she bounced on her heels.

Ruby gasped, "A fight?! I wanna know!"

Sera looked at the young girl, Ruby's eyes bright with excitement.

She then recounted the series of events that happened during her flashback, even including the ending. By time she was finished, all of team RWBY was sitting on their beds, their full attention on Sera.

"Wow. What happened to you?" Weiss asked.

"I dunno. I have no idea." Sera ran her fingers through her hair. "Though evidently, I did not die."

"I got nothing. I don't think I've ever been speechless." Yang fell onto her back, on her bed.

"What Yang said. She's never been speechless." Blake said.

"Yeah- Wait, what?" Yang looked up.

Team RWBY and Sera let out a laugh, except for Yang who looked at them absently.

"Wait a sec, if Ozpin made you a part of our team, and your name is Sera, does that make our name Team RWBYS?(Rubies)" Ruby asked excitedly.

Weiss sighed, putting a hand to her own forehead.

"Heck yes it does!" Sera smiled.

"All in favor for team RWBYS?" Yang raised a hand.

"Aye." Sera raised a hand.

"Aye." Blake did the same.

"Aye!" Ruby jumped up.

Weiss sighed again, "Sure why not."

"YEAH, GO TEAM RWBYS!" Ruby cheered happily.

There was complete silence after Ruby jumped into the air and announced the new team name.

"...So what now?" Yang asked.

"No idea, but we're gonna do it together!" Ruby put her fists on her hips and smiled wide.

"You idiots, we still have classes to go to!" Weiss put her face in her hand.

Everyone turned to the heiress.

"Classes? We just got out of class. It's like, four o'clock by now." Blake said.

Weiss sighed and pulled up her scroll, displaying the clock for everyone to see. Everyone's face leaned in to inspect the screen.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"OH, DUST! IT'S TWO!" Ruby squealed, using her semblance to zip around the room and get ready.

"How did you manage to think it automatically skipped like two hours? We quite literally _just_ got back from Port's class!" Weiss looked at her team, save for Sera.

"Not now, Weiss!" Yang said.

Blake and Yang began doing the same, but without the speed powers.

Sera, not knowing what was going on, could only stand in one place and spin in circles as people sped around her.

"Wait what's going on? You have classes? Do I have classes? Do I need to find some sort of weapon?" Sera asked, her head spinning.

"Come on!" Yang grabbed her hand and hauled her out of the room.

In less than a minute, the five of them were sitting in a large classroom filled with people, and with one large, boisterous mustachioed man standing in front of massive dry erase boards. The big guy, who Yang told Sera is Professor Port, was going on about a story about him single-handedly defeating a Deathstalker by stabbing it with its own stinger.

"Okay, this is rubbish." Sera sighed and rested her chin against her palm.

"Get used to it, sister." Yang chuckled.

"He just... Goes on and on and on. It never ends." Sera stared blankly ahead of her.

"Yep." Ruby said, putting a lot of emphasis on the P.

"Why are we even back in Port's class again? Like Weiss said, we _just_ left." Blake inquired.

"Because this is still technically his class period. He just sent us back because... Wait, why did he send us back?" Ruby asked.

The five went silent in contemplation.

"Do... Do ya think he got a message from Ozpin or something, telling him to dismiss us to our dorm?" Yang asked.

"It's possible. He _did_ say to come back here if we were able to." Blake noted.

"And THAT'S when I ripped the beast's arm off and beat it to death with its own appendage!" Port announced to the room loudly.

"When does it end?" Sera asked as she put her head down on the desk.

"Hey, you need to pay attention, Miss Amnesia. It'd be useful to relearn these things." Weiss told her.

"Weiss, I already know all this." Sera looked at her.

"Really? Then what's a Deathstalker's main point of weakness when using flame Dust?"

"..."

"That's what I thought."

"Weiss, leave the new girl alone, it's her first day." Ruby told her.

"Fine, but she should still pay attention!" Weiss said in a hushed tone.

"Ahem! Is there something the matter, team RWBY?" Professor Port looked in their direction.

"Nothing, Professor! Just teaching the new girl how things work!" Ruby assured.

"Oho, a new student? Well come on down and introduce yourself!" Port announced, a knowing twinkle in his eyes.

Sera turned to Ruby with a dangerous light in her eyes, "What have you done?"

"Eep!" Ruby yelped and hid behind a seat.

"Just do it, trust me, it's easier." Yang put a hand on her shoulder.

Sera groaned, then began making her way down to where Professor Port was.

"Thank you, young lady!" Port said loudly, clasping a hand on Sera's shoulder when she reached him.

"Please take your hand off my shoulder, it kinda hurts."

"Would you please tell us your name, Miss?" he said, ignoring the student.

"Sera."

"Perhaps a bit louder?"

"It's Sera!" she shouted.

"Oho, good job! What about your last name, Sera?" Port asked.

Sera hesitated, "I don't know."

Professor Port raised an eyebrow, "That's preposterous!"

Ruby zipped down to the two of them in a flurry of rose petals.

"Professor Port, she has amnesia. She doesn't remember really anything besides her first name."

"Oh, I see. Well then, my apologies. You may return to your seat if you like." he said with an apologetic expression.

"Come on, Sera." Ruby pulled her away by her hand.

"He's gotta be in on it." She whispered to Ruby.

The two girls went back to their seats, where their team was waiting with sympathetic looks on their faces.

The entire walk back, Beacon students stared at the pair of girls, specifically at Sera.

"You okay?" Ruby whispered.

"Totally. Nothing like being embarrassed in front of the entire class in the afternoon of the first day." she groaned.

"You'll be fine, no one's gonna remember it. No pun intended." Blake said.

"If you say so. So, when do we get to kick some butt?" Sera asked, sitting down and looking expectantly at her team.

All of them blinked and looked at each other, then Ruby grinned and whispered to Yang, who began to smile after a few seconds of listening.

"Should I be worried?" Sera asked Blake.

"Yes." Blake and Weiss said at the same time.

Sera glanced to her right to see Yang and Ruby still whispering and giggling to each other.

"I don't like it," she thought aloud.

The next day, team RWBY woke up their new teammate early, made her get dressed, and dragged her to a location she was unfamiliar with. She was tired, confused, and now surrounded by people she didn't know.

"All right, students. Today, we'll be heading into Forever Fall forest to exterminate reported groups of Grimm that are moving towards the City of Vale. I'll give further instructions once we get there, including where teams will be assigned." Glynda Goodwitch told several teams of students in a large locker room.

"We're going to fight Grimm?" Sera whispered to her new team.

"Yep!" Ruby giggled excitedly.

"Not going to ruin anything, but a certain someone may have gotten word to Ozpin that you'd wanted to get out in the field and see if you remember any combat training you'd gotten." Yang grinned.

"...You planned this." Sera crossed her arms.

"Of course we did, Snowball!" Yang ruffled her hair.

Sera clenched her fists and she looked up at the brawler, "It was funny earlier, stop now before we have a 'mysterious accident' in the forest."

"Aww, she's so cute when she's mad!" Yang continued to mess with her head.

"Yang, maybe you should-" Weiss started to say.

 _Wham!_

"Hey!" Yang exclaimed.

"Serves you right." Sera crossed her arms.

"You didn't need to hit me, you little minx!"

"You whine like your Uncle." Sera turned her head away, internally giggling. Her statement wasn't true, of course, but it'd annoy her.

"Well, uh... Your eyes are purple!" Yang huffed.

"That the best you got, blondie?" Sera turned her head slightly to look at Yang, smirking.

"I hope there aren't any issues among my students, are there Miss Xiao Long?" Glynda shot a petrifying glance at team RWBYS.

"No ma'am, just having some fun with Sera here! Right, Sera?" Yang wrapped an arm around her shoulders, giving a big grin.

"Oh, definitely! We're best buds!" Sera gave a fake smile, wrapping an arm around Yang's shoulders.

Professor Goodwitch rolled her eyes and continued with her announcement.

"We'll be leaving shortly, so make sure you're changed and prepared for combat. Take only the essentials; weapons, Dust cartridges, whatever you need to fight. Team RWBY, or should I say, RWBYS, watch out for your new teammate." after she was finished, Goodwitch shot Sera a glance.

It took several minutes for Sera's teammates to get completely ready, though they would've been ready earlier if Weiss wasn't stuck on deciding which types of Dust she wanted to bring. Eventually, she decided to bring all.

"Yeah, this'll be our first official victory as teeeam RWBYS!" Ruby jumped up and pumped a fist into the air.

"Guys-" Sera tried to get their attention.

"What's up guys, new team member, huh? How'd that happen?" a tall blond guy said out of nowhere.

"Oh hey Jaune, this is Sera. Sera, this is our friend Jaune, leader of team JNPR." Ruby explained.

"Hello. Jaune Arc." he held his hand out for Sera to shake it.

"Sup." Sera shook his hand.

"So Jaune, where's the rest?" Yang asked.

"Just over there getting ready. Nora's trying to pack a backpack full of pancakes and Ren's not letting her." Jaune chuckled.

"An entire bag of pancakes? I think I like this chick." Sera smirked, completely forgetting what she was gonna say.

"Of course." Weiss sighed.

"Alright students, we're heading out right now. We'll take a couple of airships and be dropped off deep in the forest. The faster we get our job done, the faster we get back here. Watch out for your team members, and they'll watch out for you. Now, let's move out." Professor Goodwitch explained, walking swiftly out of the locker room with her students following behind her.

In total, the teams attending the mission were RWBYS, JNPR, CRDL, and two teams that neither JNPR or RWBYS were acquainted with. Blake clearly voiced her opinion of team CRDL, which was the most Sera had heard her talk all day.

Just as the students and Professor Goodwitch were boarding the airships, Sera's eyes widened as she realized something.

"I don't have a weapon." she thought aloud.

. . .

"Here we are, students. Teams VRML (Vermilion) and BRSS (Brass), you will take the east side of the forest. CRDL, you will take the south end. JNPR, you'll clear the Grimm on the west side while team RWBYS clears the north side. I will provide additional support where it's needed, so everyone use your scrolls to report in periodically." Professor Goodwitch explained to the five teams.

Sera shifted uncomfortably as she looked at her new team.

"Don't sweat it Sera, it'll be fine." Yang clapped her on the back, nearly knocking her over with the force.

"How's she gonna fight, though?" Ruby asked, genuinely curious.

"I'll wing it." Sera shrugged with a cheeky grin.

Weiss crossed her arms, "Good luck with that. It'll be impossible to fight Grimm with your bare hands."

"Speak for yourself." Yang slammed her fists together.

"Yeah see? I'll be fine." Sera copied Yang's action, but recoiled at the sudden pain. "Ouch." she rubbed her sore knuckles.

"Yeah you might not wanna do that unless you're me." Yang smirked, then did it again.

"Yeah, yeah, you blond punch machine." Sera mumbled.

Yang seemed to not hear her, placing her hands on her own hips and smiling eagerly.

"Well, let's get moving!" she pointed in the general direction of north.

"That's my line." Ruby said quietly, poking her index fingers together.

"Not today, it's isn't!" Yang began marching in the direction she had pointed.

Blake and Weiss rolled their eyes at their teammate's arrogance.

"There's no telling what's in this forest." Weiss sighed and followed Yang.

"Yeah but knowing Yang, she'll just level the forest around her to destroy her target." Blake smirked.

Ruby smirked and readied her Crescent Rose, then followed the rest of her team into the dense forest.

. . .

"So it's been like, twenty minutes and we haven't run into anything yet. Is there even anything _in_ this forest?" Ruby asked.

"There sure was when I woke up in this place. Then your uncle saved my skin." Sera glanced at the team leader. Ruby smirked at that.

"He has a knack for that." Yang looked over her shoulder at Sera.

"He has a knack for being a tool." Sera crossed her arms, a playful smirk on her lips.

"...True." Yang conceded.

A sudden growling was heard from in front of the two shortly after Ruby jumped into a thicket. A loud gunshot was heard and Yang readied her gauntlets as she got into her signature fighting stance. Sera found herself reaching over her shoulder on instinct, only to grab air and bring a confused look on her face.

 _"What the...?"_ she blinked as she brought her hand in front of her and inspected her open palm.

Another gunshot shook her from her thoughts and a high-pitched voice could be heard.

"Ruuun!" Ruby yelled, then she reappeared from the bushes with Crescent Rose in her hands.

"Ruby!" Yang exclaimed and ran towards her sister.

"There's too many of them!" Weiss shouted after she too ran out of the bushes.

"What is it?" Sera asked when she and Yang joined the two. Blake transformed Gambol Shroud into its gun form and stood defensively in front of her team.

"Grimm. Beowolves. Lots. Maybe an Ursa or two?" Ruby gasped and leaned on her scythe for support.

Sera's eyes widened and she turned in the direction her new teammates had run from.

 _"This isn't good, without a weapon I won't be of any use. Hell, I don't even know if I'd be of use_ with _a weapon."_ Sera's eyes scanned the thicket. She could hear the sounds of distant growling and leaves crunching growing nearer and nearer.

"They're almost here." Sera warned her team.

Yang groaned and stood next to Sera with her gauntlets at the ready. Blake and Weiss joined them, each of their weapons ready for combat.

Ruby swung her scythe swiftly, transforming it into its sniper rifle form and jumping into the middle of her team, aiming the weapon into the bushes.

"What's the plan, Ruby?" Blake asked.

Ruby gritted her teeth and tried to form a plan in her head. Taking account of how many Beos she and Weiss saw, it'll be one heck of a fight.

"How many?" Sera asked, seemingly reading the team leader's mind.

"Almost too many. Several dozen, at least. You gonna be able to do anything without a weapon?" Weiss replied.

"Doubtful, but I can try." The amnesiac replied.

The sounds of Grimm approaching grew louder and louder. They had to be just across the bushes.

"Get ready!" Ruby announced, then slid the bolt on her rifle back, then forth with expert movement.

As if on cue, Grimm exactly like the one that attacked Sera burst from the bushes by the dozen. Within seconds, they surrounded the five huntresses and bared their fangs.

"There's too many of em." Yang warned.

"Nah, can take em." Ruby replied.

"Maybe." Blake said.

Weiss' grip tightened on Myrtenaster and her eyes narrowed.

"I know what you're thinking, Weiss. Not yet." Yang said.

"Or what?" Weiss replied.

"Or you risk us all being hurt." Blake said.

Weiss sighed, "Well, when then?"

After a few more moments, one of the Beowolves grew impatient. It picked out the target that looked weakest: the one with no weapon. It leapt towards the white-haired amnesiac and brandished its claws.

"Now!" Ruby shouted and fired her rifle.

Sera turned just in time to see the Beowolf flying towards her, and her eyes widened. She began to raise her arms to defend herself, but stopped.

 _"No, not this time."_ She thought, then raised her hands to counter. At the last second, she jumped back just as the Grimm landed. Sera gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes, then leapt forward. She reared back her fist to hit the beast, but Yang beat her to the punch. Pun intended.

Yang punched the Beowolf in the side of the head, delivering a shotgun blast into it and sending the creature flying twenty feet and into a tree.

Sera's fist hit nothing but air as it flew towards Yang, stopping mere inches from her face. The blonde's eyes widened and turned to Sera's face.

 _"Whoa, I could feel the force of that punch. Just how strong is this chick?"_ Yang thought to herself.

"Sorry bout that. Might wanna watch where you're punching." Sera grinned at the brawler.

"Don't worry about it. Try punching another one." Yang replied, a curious glint in her eye.

"What're you standing around for? We're dyin' over here!" Ruby called to them, then blasted a Beowolf and used the force of the recoil to fly towards another.

Sera turned back to Yang, "You got it, blondie."

The amnesiac ran towards where Weiss stood with a determined grin on her lips. Weiss was too busy using her Dust-infused rapier to notice her new teammate sprinting towards her.

The heiress turned at the last moment to see Sera jump towards her with a fist raised. Weiss' eyes widened and began to make a move to evade the attack, but the amnesiac went right past her. Her fist collided with a Beowolf that was about to attack Weiss from behind. A sickening crunch was heard from the Grimm's chest from where the blow connected, and the beast flew backwards at a shocking speed, blowing directly through a large tree and splintering it.

All five members of team RWBYS's mouths hung open at the attack.

"Oh my gods!" Weiss exclaimed.

"Holy Dust!" Blake's eyes widened.

"Oh my gods~" Yang grinned.

"THAT WAS SO COOL!" Ruby squealed. But their shock was cut short when the Grimm resumed their assault. Yang made a grunting sound when she was struck in the side by a particularly large Beowolf. The beast had even more bone armor covering its body and was at least three times the size of a normal Beowolf.

"Oh, wow, you're a biggun'." Yang said as she slowly backed up from the beast. She cocked her gauntlets by doing a motion with her arms and prepared to attack the Alpha Beowolf.

Then suddenly, Sera appeared out of nowhere and kicked the Grimm in the side. The Beowolf recoiled in pain and retreated back a few yards. It growled at its assailant as Sera landed on the ground beside Yang.

"You good?" Sera raised her fists.

"Yeah, thanks." Yang replied.

"No problem." Sera smirked.

"I could've taken it." Yang noted.

"Oh, I'm sure you could've." Sera chuckled.

"Better get ready, Snowball." Yang smirked.

Sera looked ahead of her quickly only to get hit in the chest by the Alpha Beowolve's massive paw. The amnesiac flew back several feet and slid to a halt on her back.

"Uh-oh." Yang slowly turned her head from Sera to the tall Grimm in front of her. She quickly threw a few blasts from her gauntlets into the creature's chest and leapt back to get some breathing room.

Sera groaned as she sat up and put a hand on her head.

"Owie." She said under her breath.

She shook the dizziness from her head and looked in Yang's direction. The blond was dueling with the Alpha Beowolf, dodging its blows and dealing in a few of her own with her trusty shotgun gauntlets.

 _"Heh heh, shot-gauntlets."_ Sera chuckled to herself, then ran to help her teammate.

 _"What the Dust? These things aren't usually this tough! At this rate I'll tire out before this Beowolf gives any ground."_ The blond thought to herself.

Meanwhile, Ruby, Weiss, and Blake were too busy fighting their own battles to even notice their blonde teammate's predicament. Weiss was fending off a dozen Beowolves, Blake was using her semblance to trick her opponents before finishing them off, and Ruby was fighting two Ursa at once.

Yang dodged another attack from the Beowolf then punched it full-force in the arm, breaking it. The Beowolf howled in agony and swiped at Yang with its good arm. Before Yang could dodge the blow, Sera appeared out of nowhere and caught it with the help of her aura.

Yang's eyes widened at her teammate. She only knew one other who possessed the strength to catch such an attack, and that person was Nora Valkyrie. Even Sera was surprised.

"How are you even this strong?!" Yang demanded, then began to punch the Grimm as much as she could while she had the opportunity.

"I don't know! I just am, apparently!" Sera responded, then used her elbow to hit the Beowolf's arm. She hit it four times before she heard the sound she was waiting for.

The arm made a sickening crunch sound and the Beowolf howled.

"Well, keep doing what you're doing!" Yang grinned, then directed her fist upwards in a massive uppercut.

"You got it, Blondie!" Sera smirked then curled her hand into a fist, one finger at a time from her outer fingers going inwards, then punched the Grimm in the center of its chest. The Beowolf made a pained whining sound, but it quickly ended when Sera punched it again in the same spot. A fatal cracking sound was heard, and Sera smirked in response.

"Both arms broke, solar plexus broken, too. I declare this Grimm as dead." Sera crossed her arms with a smirk after the Beowolf fell backwards.

"Very nicely deduced, Dr. Watson. Now, would you like to assist our colleagues in their battle?" Yang spoke in an Atlesian accent and gestured to the remaining Grimm around them.

"After you, Xiao Long." Sera returned the accent in kind.

"No, no, after you." Yang grinned.

"No, I insist." Sera replied.

"Will you two just _help_ already?!" Weiss demanded after slicing apart a Beowolf with expert precision.

"..."

"..."

"After you." Yang gestured.

"YANG!" Weiss yelled.

"Fine!" Yang smiled and winked at Sera before putting on a pair of sunglasses and running to help Weiss.

Sera rolled her eyes and ran towards Ruby and Blake. Ruby had just taken down her second Ursa when Sera appeared at her side.

Blake kicked a Beowolf in the side then shot it in the head, then reappeared beside Ruby and Sera and reloaded her weapon.

"So what now?" Sera asked as they watched Yang and Weiss dispose of as many Grimm as they could.

Ruby shrugged, "Finish off the rest of them as quickly as we can."

"Got it." Blake nodded, then leapt towards a group of Beowolves.

In some nearby bushes, Professor Glynda Goodwitch watched the five students before her fighting the Grimm. Sera's surprising strength already took the professor aback, but her teamwork with her new teammates is what she was currently invested in.

 _"This is certainly a surprising turn of events."_ Glynda adjusted her glasses and made sure that her holo-tablet was still recording.

Ruby slid another magazine into Crescent Rose and bolted the weapon.

"Ready?" the team leader asked.

Sera nodded and cracked her knuckles, then the two ran towards what was left of the Grimm horde.

Team RWBYS hacked, slashed, kicked, punched, and exploded all of the remaining Beowolves with their weapons, hands, feet, and Dust. The five of them stood in the midst of dozens of bodies dissipating into darkness.

"That's... All of... Them." Yang panted and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Think we've cleared out our sector yet?" Sera joked.

 _ **Whack!**_

"Yowch, what the hell?!" Sera exclaimed.

"This is no time to be joking! What are this many Grimm doing in Forever Fall, this close to the city of Vale?" Weiss said.

"You didn't have to hit me!" Sera retorted. "If you wanna know so bad, why don't you ask the dominatrix lady?!" Sera rubbed her head and pointed towards some tall bushes.

"Huh?" they all looked to where the amnesiac was pointing.

Glynda Goodwitch stepped out of the bushes with an amused smirk on her face.

"Very impressive, you five. I didn't expect you all to work so well together in the first mission. Even though it was more of each of you fighting individually instead of working as a unit, you accomplished your goal with relative ease. Even with that unexpected Alpha Beowolf, Yang and Sera finished it with their combined strength. Bravo, you two." The professor complimented.

The five of them smiled gratefully with a red tint to their faces at the professor's words. Then, the air became extremely dangerous, as if the god of Grimm was standing among them.

"Oh, and Miss Sera..." Glynda's eye twitched.

"Hm?" the amnesiac blinked.

 _ **Wham!**_

"YOWCH! WHY DO YOU PEOPLE KEEP HITTING ME?!" Sera shouted and rubbed her head again. It was becoming a tradition for the poor amnesiac.

"I'll encourage you to keep those kind of comments to yourself." Goodwitch dusted off her corset.

"What the hell are you- Oh, the dominatrix thing." Sera said.

 _ **Whack!**_

"OW! WHAT THE HELL, LADY?"

 _ **Wham!**_

"DAMN IT WOULD YOU STOP?!" Sera raised her arms.

Glynda sighed, "The other teams have disposed of their assigned Grimm, they're just waiting on you to return to the airships."

"Well then we better get going now, shouldn't we?" Yang gave a fake smile and pulled Sera back before she could enrage the professor any further.

"Indeed. Let's get moving, students. The quicker we make it back, the sooner we get back to Beacon." Goodwitch agreed. _"Ozpin was right to organize this mission. He was planning to send Sera anyway, so it was fortunate that the team volunteered. Talk about knocking out two Nevermores with one stone."_ She mentally sighed.

Sera groaned and walked with her team, rubbing her head with one eye closed.

 _"Jeez! I really need to watch my mouth around this lady. She hits harder than that Beowolf!"_ Sera said to herself.

Team RWBYS and Glynda Goodwitch continued walking towards the Beacon airships, each one of their minds on nothing but their fight or getting food in their bellies.

 _"This mystery girl is more powerful than anticipated... I'm beginning to get relieved that she's on our side. From her semblance to her unexpected strength that rivals that of Miss Valkyrie, she could be a truly terrifying huntress."_ Glynda thought to herself as she absently tapped on her holo-tablet, sending her footage to Professor Ozpin.


	2. Chapter 2

As soon as team RWBYS and Professor Goodwitch returned to the pair of airships, team JNPR ran towards them with excited looks on their faces.

"Well? How'd the new girl do?" Jaune asked.

"I think she's physically stronger than Nora." Ruby said, staring ahead.

"What?! With or without my semblance?" The orange-haired hammer wielder exclaimed.

"Yes." Yang replied.

Nora's jaw dropped and she turned to look at the amnesiac. Sera crossed her arms with a smug expression on her face.

Nora's expression turned to one of determination, "We'll see about that."

 _"After_ we return to Beacon." Goodwitch told them with a stern expression as she walked past the two teams.

"Well, shall we go?" Pyrrha asked.

"Heck yes, I'm not sitting in this forest any longer." Yang said, then headed towards the airship.

"Girls, girls, hold on, have we finally found someone that can punch harder than Yang?" Jaune smirked. Yang stopped in her tracks.

 _"What_ was that?" Yang turned, her eyes red. Literally.

"Uh- um- well- I mean-." Jaune stuttered, then Yang turned towards the white-haired amnesiac.

"Eep!" Sera jumped behind Professor Goodwitch, much to the professor's dislike.

Glynda sighed and moved Sera from behind her, _"After_ we get back to Beacon." She shot Yang a glare, and the brawler faltered. Her eyes returned to lilac, then she boarded the airship. The professor then turned her gaze to the rest of the students.

Sera and the others silently boarded the airships and awaited takeoff. Even team CRDL behaved.

As soon as the students were all onboard and ready, Professor Goodwitch pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

 _"Why did I have to be the acting parent for all these children?"_ she asked herself, then boarded the nearest airship, which happened to be the one Sera was on.

. . .

Professor Ozpin sipped from his coffee mug as he opened the files Professor Goodwitch sent him. He swiveled in his chair impatiently as the recordings appeared on his monitor. The old professor's eyes scanned the hologram screen as he watched the various skirmishes.

After a few minutes of inspecting the recordings, one particular video caught his eye. His eyes flicked to the small rectangle amidst the other recordings, and he nearly spit out his coffee when he saw a figure with white hair and a red tank top catch the attack of an Alpha Beowolf with her bare hands. Ozpin enlarged the screen and rewound it. His eyes widened as he rewatched Sera catch the massive paw, a look of determination on her face.

"This is truly a surprise. Exactly who are you, Sera?" he asked aloud and watched the rest of the recording.

 _"Well, I think it's safe to say that this girl should be in the Vytal Festival tournament. It shouldn't be too hard to convince James once I send him this footage and tell him of her story."_ Ozpin sat back in his chair with an amused smile on his face.

. . .

The ride back to Beacon was mostly silent besides the occasional whisper or cough. Probably because Glynda Goodwitch had boarded the airship that team RWBYS happened to be on. Sera hasn't known the professor for long, but she could tell that the older woman had a reputation.

Sera sighed and leaned on her elbow, which happened to be on Yang's shoulder. Yang rolled her eyes and pushed it off, only for Sera to quickly put it back.

"I'm gonna do to you what you did to that Beowolf." Yang said under her breath.

"Prove it." Sera replied with a smirk on her face.

"As soon as we land." Yang promised, then turned to her.

Sera winked at the blond, then Yang winked at her in return. However, what Sera did not expect, was for Yang's eyes to turn red as soon as she reopened the one that winked.

"You gotta stop doing that to me." Sera told her. Yang blinked and her eyes returned to normal.

"Scared?" Yang grinned.

Sera rolled her eyes, "My level of fear for you is probably as far as I could throw you."

"...Y'know that's probably pretty far."

"Shut up, Blondie." Sera groaned.

Yang smirked and relaxed in her seat, "Whatever you say, Snowball."

Sera gritted her teeth and tightened her grip on her seat.

"This is gonna be a long ride." Weiss sighed.

"...That's what she said." Yang instinctively blurted out.

The entire airship erupted in laughter except for Weiss, Blake, and Professor Goodwitch. Even Pyrrha let out a chuckle through the hand that covered her mouth.

Glynda's eye twitched and she held her crop tightly in her hands.

. . .

The airships finally touched down at the docks, much to the relief of everyone onboard them. Team RWBYS and JNPR nearly scrambled to get off-board.

"Finally!" Ruby cheered and jumped into the air.

"We've finally arrived." Pyrrha sighed with a kind smile on her face.

"Indeed." Ren noted.

"I'm going to get some food, a _lot_ of food, mind you, then take a well-deserved nap." Sera rested her hands on her knees.

"Hold on, Snowball. What about our little bet?" Yang asked.

"Yeah! We gotta see how strong you actually are!" Nora appeared beside the blond brawler.

Sera waved them off and continued walking towards Beacon, not even acknowledging her hated nickname, "Maybe later, if I feel like it."

Yang gritted her teeth and Nora looked down in disappointment.

"After all that big talk, you're just going to leave the two of us high and dry?" Yang's expression turned to one of playfulness.

Sera turned and winked at the brawler.

Yang sighed, _"What are we gonna do with you?"_ she watched the amnesiac walk away with her hands resting on the back of her head, her elbows pointed towards the sky.

"Yang~! Are we gonna go or what?" Ruby's voice shook the blond from her thoughts.

"Yeah sure, Rubes. Let's get back to the dorm, I'm beat." Yang replied.

The original members of team RWBY walked down the path leading straight to Beacon.

"You think she'll be able to compete?" Ruby asked curiously after a few moments.

"In the Vytal Festival? Doubtful. It's unheard of for a team of five to participate." Weiss replied as she fixed her long ponytail.

"It's possible, though. Weirder stuff has happened around here." Yang noted.

"Perhaps, but still, I wouldn't get my hopes up." Blake deadpanned.

"Ugh, fine. But still, it'd be pretty cool, though!" Ruby grinned.

. . .

"I'm gonna _what?"_ Sera asked with a shocked expression on her face.

"I'd like you to fight in the upcoming tournament in a few weeks. Qrow and I think it'll help jog your memory as well as provide you with more combat experience." Professor Ozpin explained to Sera carefully. As soon as the amnesiac entered Beacon's main structure, the headmaster ambushed her and led her into a nearby classroom.

"How am I going to fight other students? I don't even have a weapon of my own, much less the combat ability to fight them." Sera pointed out.

"I'll personally take care of that. Given your hot-headed nature and other personality traits, I believe I know the perfect thing for you." Ozpin smiled kindly and took a sip from his coffee mug.

Sera opened her mouth to say something about Ozpin's comment about her being hot-headed, but her eyes widened at his last words.

"You mean you're going to... Give me a weapon of my own?" she asked.

"I believe that's what I said. Now..." Ozpin smirked and pulled out a tape measure, rapidly taking Sera's measurements like a tailor would.

"Hey, what're you- Don't touch there! Hey! What the-?" Sera exclaimed as Ozpin went to work.

"There we are! Expect a call from me or Glynda some time within the next week for your new equipment." The headmaster sipped from his mug.

"That's all well and good, but you could've at least warned me!" Sera all but yelled.

"Calm yourself, I had no ill intention." Ozpin smirked.

"Still-!" Sera pointed at the headmaster with a flushed face.

Ozpin gestured towards the door with his mug, "I'm sure you're eager to return to your team, so I won't keep you any longer. You all deserve a few days of relaxation after that mission, so don't expect any assignments at least until next week or so."

Sera nodded, "Thank you, Professor."

She then headed for the classroom door. Just as she was about to turn the handle, the headmaster spoke up again.

"Oh, and Sera? I doubt you'll have much difficulty in the tournament after reviewing your actions in Forever Fall."

"How did-?" the amnesiac's eyes then widened in realization. "Goodwitch was recording, wasn't she?"

"Indeed. And I must say, you show great promise for the future. Good day, Sera." Ozpin complimented and briskly walked past Sera and out of the door.

"What a weird guy..." Sera mumbled to herself, then exited the now empty classroom.

But as soon as she stepped out into the hallway, she was immediately met by the rest of her team. In fact, she had a direct collision with them. Sera and Ruby's heads bumped into each other full-force and the two fell into a sitting position.

"Ow!" Sera exclaimed and rubbed her head.

"Oof!" Ruby held her head and looked to see who she'd bumped into.

"Sera! What were you doing in there?" Yang asked and helped the white-head to her feet.

"Talking to Professor Ozpin. What're _you_ four doing running into me?" Sera demanded.

"Following you back to the room. We lost you as soon as you went in the building so we were looking around to find you." Ruby answered

"Oh. Well, then. Sorry." Sera scratched the back of her head.

"It's fine, it's fine. What'd Ozpin want?" Ruby asked curiously.

"I, too, would like to know why he wanted to speak to you alone." Weiss crossed her arms.

Sera looked at each member of her team, each with curious or expectant looks on their faces.

"He wants me to compete in the upcoming tournament." Sera replied.

Three of their jaws dropped while Ruby's face turned to one of excitement.

"WHAT?!" Blake, Weiss, and Yang exclaimed.

"YAY!" Ruby squealed.

"But it's impossible! Only teams of four can compete in it, and we're not a team of four anymore!" Weiss interjected.

"I have no idea, Ice Queen. The headmaster didn't give any details. All he said was that it might help me get my memory back and improve my fighting skills." Sera shrugged.

"Well, if anything can jog your memory, it's certainly that." Blake shrugged.

"Plus it's going to be super-duper fun!" Ruby could hardly sit still. The Vytal Festival was just in a few weeks!

"Hold on, how is she going to compete if she doesn't have a weapon?" Weiss asked. It was a genuine question and one that needed to be asked, but it only made Sera give a cheeky smirk in response.

"Ozpin said he'd personally take care of that." She grinned.

"Well look at you, getting all the special treatment." Yang chuckled.

"Perks of being an amnesiac." Sera put a hand on her hip, a smile on her face.

"That could be the title of a book." Blake noted.

"Right you are, kitty cat." Sera chuckled, and Blake's ears in her bow visibly flattened.

"Careful, Snowball, you've only been here about a day, remember?" Blake warned, but not without a hint of amusement.

Sera gave a mock salute and stood at attention, "Yes ma'am!"

The Faunus scowled slightly, her amusement gone, but Sera didn't falter. She only smirked and continued her salute.

Yang chuckled nervously and led the amnesiac away by the shoulders, "C'mon, Snowball. Let's get you back before Blake pounces."

"Ah, fine. I was only teasing the girl." Sera sighed while Yang pushed her from behind.

"Yeah, but she doesn't like that. Trust me." Yang laughed.

"How is this actually going to work? The rules will surely prevent a team of five from entering the tournament." Weiss sighed as she, Ruby, and Blake began to follow Yang and Sera.

"Don't worry about it, just enjoy that she'll be joining us!" Ruby encouraged.

"It's like Blake said, she's only been here for a day. We still don't know if she can be trusted." Weiss deadpanned.

"Weiss!" Ruby whined. "Didn't you see her back in the forest? She fought _with_ us."

"Yes, but she was also reckless. She was playing with that Beowolf rather than taking it down quickly." Weiss replied.

"To be fair, she had just discovered her enhanced strength, so it's only natural that she'd want to test it." Blake added.

"Still! We don't _know_ her." Weiss retorted.

"Ozpin trusts her, so you should too." Ruby crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks.

Weiss rolled her eyes, still unsure about the amnesiac's loyalties.

"Weiss, it'll be fine. We have no reason to distrust Sera." Blake assured.

"So far." Weiss muttered.

Blake rolled her eyes and continued walking.

. . .

"Home sweet home!" Ruby sighed and jumped directly up to her bed.

"Yeah, home." Sera said as she looked to her makeshift bed space on the floor.

"You should talk to someone about that. There's no way you're gonna sleep on _that_ for the year." Yang pointed out as she plopped onto her bed.

"Nah, it's fine. Better than nothing." Sera shrugged then sat on the arrangement of blankets and pillows.

"True, but still." Ruby swung her legs while she sat on the edge of her bunk.

"Maybe I'll talk to Ozpin about it." Sera told the team leader as she laid out on her bed space. She laid on her back and rested her hands behind her head and sighed. As soon as her eyes closed, they immediately opened again at the sound of Ruby's high-pitched voice.

"So! What's the plan for tomorrow?" she asked.

"Classes, Rubes. We still have to go to classes." Yang sighed. She, too, was trying to get some shuteye.

Ruby groaned and fell onto her back, "Ughhh I don't wanna."

"We have to, Ruby. You want to graduate, don't you?" Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Ugh, fine." Ruby groaned.

"That's what I thought." Weiss huffed.

"Shh, talk later. Sleep now." Sera hushed the heiress.

"You do know it's only five in the afternoon, right?" she replied.

"Shh." Was Sera's only response as she covered herself up to her face with a blanket.

Weiss once again rolled her eyes.

"Maybe she is a bit too much like you, Yang. Yang?" Ruby chuckled.

The blond was already snoring away with an arm laying across her face.

"Oh for Pete's sake." Weiss put her face in her palm and shook her head.

"Heh, so what now?" Ruby asked.

 _"I'm_ going to freshen up. That forest left me dirty and gross." Weiss said as she grabbed several toiletries and headed into the bathroom.

"Figures, can't get dirty without complaining." Ruby thought aloud. "What about you, Blake?"

"Reading." Blake flipped a page in her book while atop her bunk.

Ruby sighed and laid on her back, "You guys stink."

"Don't worry, Ruby. We'll all do something fun tomorrow." Blake said without taking her eyes off her book

"Really?" Ruby sat up quickly.

"Sure, we'll see when those two wake up. Cause you know Weiss isn't going to participate in anything fun." Blake smirked.

Ruby chuckled at the Faunus' comment, "True."

. . .

Meanwhile, under the covers of a makeshift bed space, Sera was dreaming. She'd fallen asleep soon after she pulled the blanket over her face. In her dream, she was walking through pitch blackness and looking around to check her surroundings.

 _"Where... Am I?"_ she thought to herself. Then suddenly, she was in the middle of a red forest.

 _"Huh?"_

When she heard the sound of leaves crunching, she whipped around to find three people walking through the forest. She saw herself and her two allies from her last memory/vision.

"What are we even doing in this forest again?" the blue-haired girl, Cerulean, said.

"To investigate the increasing Grimm sightings near the city of Vale. The professors seemed pretty worried about it." The boy with black hair, Red, said.

"Yeah, we need to make sure there's not _too_ many of them." Sera chuckled.

"Apparently, the order came from James Ironwood himself." Red noted.

Cerulean sighed, "Let's just hurry up and get back. That pool is calling my name."

Red smirked, "Sure, sure."

Then, the forest melted away around her and Sera stood alone in a clearing of the same forest.

Sera looked around, then found the three running into the clearing with distressed looks on their faces.

"That's way too many for us! We have to get back and report this _now."_ Red yelled.

"Way ahead of you!" Cerulean pulled out her scroll and began typing on it.

Then, a purple orb of energy blasted the device out of her hand. Cerulean looked up, alarmed, then she was gone. She disappeared into darkness before she could call out.

Sera's eyes widened at the unfolding scene before her.

Red turned his head and his eyes widened, but he too disappeared before he could say anything.

 _"What... What is this?"_ the actual Sera thought to herself.

Dream-vision Sera came to a halt and looked back to find her friends gone. There was no trace of them in sight. She quickly began whipping her head around, trying to find whatever had attacked them. She could still hear Grimm in the forest behind her, but none in sight.

Real Sera's eyes widened at what she saw.

Dream Sera suddenly felt a dark presence behind her and she stayed completely still.

A sultry, female voice spoke from behind her, "I expected you, of all people, to not run in fear at the sight of those Grimm. I guess I was wrong." The woman placed a hand on Sera's shoulder.

Dream Sera shook with fear at the cold touch and sheer power that the woman emitted, "What are you?"

The woman didn't answer. Instead, she placed her other hand on Sera's remaining shoulder. The stranger gave a cold smile and sent dark energy into Sera, causing her eyes to widen in shock and her to let out a pained scream.

"I should kill you right now for the threat you could pose against me in the future." She then removed her hands and Sera gasped as the pain stopped.

"But I have a better idea. Instead, I'm going to take something and leave you to die alone in this pitiful forest."

"T-Take what?" Sera managed to ask.

The woman smiled maliciously and walked around Sera and into her cone of vision. Sera gasped and her eyes widened at the woman that stood before her.

She had hair as white as hers, white skin, red irises, and black veins trailing down her arms and on the sides of her face. Instead of having white in her eyes like someone normally would, they were pitch black. Her hair was styled in some sort of ornate design and she wore a black robe that trailed behind her.

"Your memories." She said coldly, then pressed the palm of her hand against Sera's forehead.

. . .

"Sera! SERA!" a voice shouted as someone shook her shoulders with strong hands.

Sera's eyes shot open to find Yang shaking her awake. Blake, Weiss, and Ruby stood around the amnesiac with worried expressions on their faces.

"W- What's wrong?" Sera asked.

"Um, you started screaming in your sleep. We've been trying to wake you up for almost five minutes." Ruby explained.

Sera blinked, "Screaming?"

"Yes, I think you were having a bad dream. Care to explain?" Weiss asked.

"I... I don't know. I don't remember anything about it." Sera said honestly.

"That's... Extremely odd. From the way you were acting, it must've been terrifying." Blake said.

Sera shrugged, "I'm telling you, I don't remember any of it. Not remembering stuff is kinda my thing, remember?"

"Yeah but this is sort of different." Yang said.

"I dunno, guys." Sera looked at them.

Weiss sighed, "Well, we might as well stay up until it's time for class. It's just six-thirty, after all."

"Um, nuh-uh! I'm going back to bed." Yang said.

"I second that." Ruby yawned.

"Me too." Blake raised her hand.

Weiss rolled her eyes, "Fine, you four go back to bed and _I'll_ stay up."

"Uh, actually Weiss, I'm staying up as well." Sera said and rested on her elbows.

Weiss blinked, "Really?"

"Yeah, I don't think I wanna go to sleep any time soon after this little fiasco." Sera replied.

"Okay it's settled, we sleep and you two stay up. And be silent!" Yang pointed at each of them, then fell face-first onto her bunk.

After several minutes of odd glances and audible sighs, Sera turned to Weiss, who was sitting atop her bunk and typing on her scroll.

"Okay, what's the deal?" Sera asked.

Weiss took her eyes from her scroll and looked at Sera, "What are you on about?"

"You've been giving me weird looks since the others went back to sleep, so what's up?" Sera explained.

Weiss sighed and put her scroll down, "How do I put this? I don't... Fully trust you just yet."

Sera's eyes widened slightly and her brow furrowed, "What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Look, it's not anything personal. Just... Look at it this way. A mysterious girl shows up out of the blue, gets added to _my_ team, then turns out to have an extremely unique semblance with limitless potential. And to top it all off, your strength can rival that of Nora and Yang." Weiss counted the reasons on her fingers.

"...I mean, I guess I'd be suspicious as well. But still, you don't have to act like that. Besides, what reason would I have to betray Beacon or something like that? You guys are awesome." Sera said, which caught the heiress off-guard.

"You mean that?" She asked.

"Of course! I mean sure, this whole memory thing sucks and I don't know if I'll ever remember _anything,_ but I'm grateful to Ozpin for letting me stay in the school. And you four have been great to help me here." Sera said honestly.

Weiss blinked, then a small smile appeared on her face, "Okay. I think I'm good now."

"Like... Good how?" Sera asked.

"Like I don't doubt you anymore. You sounded really sincere and honest...and we went through a similar problem with Blake a while back, so I'm trying to be better with situations like this." Weiss explained.

"Blake had amnesia?" Sera blinked.

Weiss rolled her eyes, "No, you dunce. Whenever we found out she's a Faunus."

Sera blinked again, "You couldn't tell?"

Weiss looked at her, "No."

"Weiss, I have amnesia and I could tell when I met her. Her ears twitch a lot when she talks." Sera smirked.

Weiss crossed her arms, "Yeah, well, we don't spend our time looking at people's heads."

"For the record, I don't spend time looking at heads. I just happened to notice it one day." Sera pointed at her.

"Fine. But still, I'm trying to be open-minded about problems with friends. Even if your situation is very much different than finding out your teammate is secretly a Faunus." Weiss sighed.

"Aww, Weiss, she's your friend?" a familiar high-pitched voice asked.

The two white-haired girls turned to find a smiling Ruby Rose sitting on her bunk.

"Ruby?!" They both exclaimed.

"What? It's time to wake up and get ready for class. It's not my fault you two happened to be talking and getting along~" Ruby replied as she jumped down to the floor in her pajamas.

"It hasn't been that long, has it?" Sera asked as she and Weiss looked at each other.

"Huh. Time sure flies, I guess." Weiss said as she checked the time on her scroll.

"Better wake up Yang." Ruby sighed and walked over to Yang and Blake's beds.

Sera smirked and got to her feet, "This is going to be a lonnng day."

. . .

The next week flew by smoothly for team RWBYS. Sera got acquainted with all of her classes and got into the routine that her team was already in. The amnesiac was given a Beacon academy uniform to wear during school functions and spent time with her team, getting to know them better. Sera regularly went to the gym with Yang and participated in all the silly shenanigans that Ruby got into. She tried to spend time with Blake and Weiss, but Blake mostly kept to herself and Weiss was, well, Weiss. Overall, Sera really enjoyed herself with her new team. Just one thing was bothering her.

"Professor Ozpin said he'd have my 'gear' ready by the end of the week. It's the end of the week, and still not here!" Sera groaned as she and the rest of her team walked to their next class: Oobleck.

"He'll get it to you, don't worry about it so much. We've still got another two weeks before the tournament." Weiss told her.

"Yeah but _still!_ I'd like to at least practice with it while I have the chance, thank you very much." Sera replied.

"You'll be fine!" Ruby said cheerfully.

Sera groaned and crossed her arms.

"It'll be fine, Sera. Just hang tight." Yang put a hand on her shoulder.

"If you say so." Sera sighed and pushed open the door to Doctor Oobleck's room.

"-And that, class, is why you never engage in combat with an Alpha Ursa when your team is incapacitated. Now! Can anyone tell me what a hunter or huntress is supposed to do when civilians are on the battlefield? You, there!" Oobleck pointed directly at Sera as she and her team were sitting down.

"Me? Uh-er-um-" Sera stuttered after she sat.

"Yes, you! You and your team were the ones who showed up to class late, weren't you?" he asked.

"Late?" Ruby asked.

"I told you to not stop for soda!" Weiss said in a hushed tone.

"I can't help it! That grape stuff is too good!" Sera replied quietly.

"Well?" Doctor Oobleck asked impatiently.

"Probably... Divert the enemy's attention from the civilians, then either eliminate it quickly or lead it away from them?" Sera asked hopefully.

"Hm." Oobleck sipped from his mug. "A fine answer! Though usually the acting hunter or huntress would get the civilians to safety _then_ deal with the Grimm. But under certain circumstances, diverting the beast's attention could prove beneficial, as well."

The professor then zipped around the room, continuing on to the next topic.

Sera exhaled sharply and leaned back in her seat.

"Not bad." Yang whistled.

"It was the first thing I thought of." Sera said and leaned onto the desk.

"It's what I'd do." Ruby shrugged.

"Yeah, but you're not the best at that stuff." Blake smirked.

"Hmph!" Ruby puffed out her cheeks and crossed her arms.

Sera and Yang chuckled at their leader's childlike attitude.

Weiss sighed, "Let's just get today over with already."

"That's a first. The heiress actually wants class to be over!" Yang poked Weiss in the forehead.

"Hey!" Weiss retorted.

Doctor Oobleck suddenly appeared in front of the five of them, "Miss Schnee! I hope there aren't any problems, are there?"

"Sorry, Professor." Weiss turned her head with an annoyed expression on her face.

Oobleck adjusted his glasses sped off and was suddenly standing in front of the chalkboard.

"Back to the lesson!" he announced to the class and swigged from his coffee mug.

"At least he takes it easier on us." Blake sighed.

"He used to be harder?" Sera asked.

"Just a little, but he kind of sympathizes with us ever since the mission we went on with him." Ruby answered.

"You went on a mission with the professor?" her eyes widened slightly.

"What all have we not told you?" Weiss asked.

"A lot, apparently." Yang sighed.

"Tell me later when we have better time." Sera told them. "After all, we still have a class to finish." The amnesiac gestured to the hyperactive professor.

. . .

After team RWBYS finally got out of all their classes, the five of them sat in the cafeteria alongside team JNPR. Nora was absent-mindedly tossing small fruits into Yang's mouth as they told of their adventures since their first days at Beacon.

After they were done explaining how they'd been apart of stopping some famous crime boss who had somehow released Grimm into the city, Sera slammed her palms onto the tabletop and stared at them.

"You _WHAT?"_

Ruby chuckled nervously, "Heh, yeah..."

"That's...quite the story." Sera said.

"Let's just say we've been in some stuff." Weiss said with pride in her voice.

"You four sure get into some wild adventures, huh? That must be why Professor Ozpin set me up with you." Sera looked at each of them.

"Don't forget about us!" Nora said from beside Sera.

"Yeah, you too." Sera chuckled.

"Let's face it, Nora. Team RWBY is going to get wrapped up in a lot more wild adventures than we are." Jaune sighed twirled his spaghetti with a fork.

"That's team RWBYS to you!" Ruby pointed at the blond knight.

"There, there, Jaune." Ren patted the Jaune's shoulder.

"When do I get to go on a crazy adventure?" Sera asked eagerly.

Yang smiled and ruffled the amnesiac's hair, "Your time will come, Snowball."

Sera grit her teeth and balled her fists.

 _ **Whack!**_

"Hey!" Yang exclaimed.

"Quit calling me that!" Sera told her. "I shoulda punched you through that wall."

"I'd like to see you try, Snowball!" Yang retorted loudly, amusement on her voice.

Sera prepared to jump over the table, but a voice from behind stopped her.

"I do hope you eight- excuse me, _nine_ aren't going to engage in _another_ food fight in this cafeteria." Glynda Goodwitch said.

"Eep!" Yang and Sera exclaimed.

"Professor!" Ruby stood.

"Calm yourself, students. I'm only here to fetch Sera for Professor Ozpin." The older woman said.

Sera blinked, "You what?"

Glynda sighed, "Follow me."

Professor Goodwitch marched off, not waiting for Sera.

Sera quickly stood and turned to her friends before leaving.

"I'll, uh, see you guys back in the dorm. See ya, JNPR." She waved then hurried after Goodwitch.

. . .

"What is this about?" Sera asked Glynda as they rode up the elevator to Professor Ozpin's office. She had a feeling she already knew, but she didn't want to get her hopes up.

"You'll see." Was all Glynda had to say.

Sera crossed her arms, _'Thanks a lot.'_

*Ding!*

The elevator doors slid open to reveal Professor Ozpin leaning against his desk, facing the direction of the elevator.

"Hello, Sera." Ozpin said and took his cane in his hand.

"Hey Professor, what's this all about?" Sera asked as she and Glynda approached the headmaster.

"I'm glad you asked." Ozpin gave a small smile and walked to the corner of his office. Sitting in said corner was a tall, purple and black suitcase with a red and black emblem on the front. The emblem itself was a hollow square with thick black lines that looked cut off at each corner. Inside the square was a black symbol that matched the one on Sera's shoulder exactly.

"Whoa." Sera gazed at the case. Ozpin smirked and pressed a button on the side, then the suitcase slowly opened, its lid split open length-wise like two open doors.

Sera could spot white clothes, a few belts with silver buckles, and a long weapon that she guessed was a sword.

"Holy shit!" Sera gasped and went quickly towards Ozpin and the case.

Glynda's eye twitched at Sera's exclamation, but for once, she let it slide.

Upon closer inspection, the white clothes consisted of a white stylish jacket with purple trim that reached her thighs, stylish white pants with purple inner pockets, a black tank top and black V-neck shirt. There were three sets of belts, each set had two identical belts, all with the same buckle. Two of the belts were purple, two were a slightly dark shade of red, and the remaining two were black. The buckles were silver and were in a shape as if they were two trapezoids stuck bottom-to-bottom. The weapon was in a sort of harness that appeared to go on Sera's back, but she could clearly make out its design. The sword was slightly shorter than a claymore. And unlike a claymore, it had a razor-sharp edge. The blade itself was slightly leaf shaped and a deep shade of crimson that glinted in the light. Its hilt and cross guard were gray with black leather wrapped around it. The cross guard itself had the same silver symbol from Sera's arm and belt buckles engraved into it. Beside the sword were several different colored vials of Dust and three rectangular shaped boxes that appeared to be rifle magazines.

Sera's mouth hung open the entire time she looked at the gear.

"Do you like it?" Professor Ozpin asked the huntress, her eyes still gleaming.

"I... Love it. Thanks, Professor." Sera turned to the headmaster.

Ozpin held up a hand, "Don't worry about it. Consider it a welcoming gift."

"I don't know what to say!" Sera looked at him gratefully.

"Don't say anything, just take it." Ozpin smiled kindly. He then pushed the same button he used to open the suitcase, then its doors slowly closed and a small handle popped out of the top.

As soon as Sera put her hand on the handle, Ozpin spoke up.

"But remember, the Vytal Festival is just a few weeks away. If I were you, I'd get acquainted with that sword. Miss Schnee should be able to assist you with the Dust capabilities." He told her.

"Dust capabilities?" Sera asked.

"Indeed. You should find a small switch near the pommel. Flip it upwards to pop open a little slot to put in Dust vials or crystals. Flip it down to transform it." Ozpin explained.

"Transform?" Sera asked.

"Yes, just like many of other students' weapons." Glynda piped in.

"Glynda." Ozpin said, and the older woman shut up.

Ignoring the older woman, Sera continued smiling, "That's so cool! What's it transform into?"

"Why don't you find out for yourself? Later, of course." Ozpin said kindly.

Sera looked at the symbol on her arm, then at the same symbol on her new suitcase. "Professor, what does this symbol mean? I mean, I'm sure I knew before, but I'm assuming it has some sort of meaning since it's, y'know, on me."

"Well Sera, that symbol is from an ancient civilization's alphabet. They were a powerful civilization with weapons and other technology that was advanced for their time. This symbol is called an Omega. It represented the gods they believed in. The Olympians. Twelve gods in a council that watched over the human race." Ozpin explained.

Sera cocked her head slightly, "Did these gods actually exist?"

Ozpin chuckled lightly, "Who knows? Maybe you'll find out one day."

Sera nodded, then another thought occurred to her, "Professor, how am I supposed to be in the Vytal Festival tournament if the teams have to have only four members?"

Professor Goodwitch looked at Ozpin with an expectant expression on her face, as if she loathed his solution to the problem.

"We're still thinking of a solution to that. I'll let you know as soon as I know, so rest assured." He replied.

Sera nodded, disappointed.

"Don't worry, Sera. Just practice with your new equipment and I'll sort everything out. Now, have you made any advancements with your memory?" He asked.

"Not really, no. But I had this really weird dream a few nights ago." Sera responded.

"Dreams? Do tell." Ozpin blinked.

"That's the thing, I don't remember anything from it. Ruby and the others woke me up in the middle of the night, saying I was screaming in my sleep." Sera explained.

"That _is_ concerning." Ozpin held is chin with one hand in concern. Even Glynda looked kind of worried. "If you can remember anything, do not hesitate to tell me."

"Yes, Professor. I'll just, uh, take this stuff back to my room." Sera said, getting ready to pull the suitcase.

"Oh, yes, go ahead. Thank you for meeting with me." Ozpin said.

"No problem, Ozpi- er, I mean Professor. Thanks again!" Sera smiled and made her way towards the elevator.

Ozpin raised a hand in goodbye as the white-haired huntress exited his office.

The headmaster then walked around his desk and sat in his chair. He pulled up the elevator security footage while sipping his coffee. Glynda Goodwitch went to his side with her arms crossed.

"Do you think it was really a good idea to provide that girl with such equipment?" she asked.

"Please, Glynda. I know you don't fully trust her, but there's no reason to act like she doesn't need any help. She came here with nothing but the clothes on her back. If I were to offer her nothing, then I shouldn't be headmaster." Ozpin replied.

"So why is the elevator footage on your monitor?" she changed the subject.

Ozpin looked at the screen to see Sera jumping in excitement and pumping her fist into the air. The old headmaster couldn't help but give a small smile at how his gift caused her to act.

On the monitor, Sera stopped her jumping then opened the suitcase and began to lift her top.

Glynda's and Ozpin's eyes widened.

"Is she...?" Goodwitch asked.

"Changing? Yes." Ozpin quickly shut off his monitor and leaned back in his chair.

"She's just full of surprises, isn't she?" Ozpin chuckled.

"Yes, well, hopefully she's not that...open all the time." Glynda sighed.

"You really don't like her, do you? Is it because of her comments when she first arrived?" the headmaster asked.

"..."

"That's what I thought." Ozpin chuckled, then spun in his chair to overlook Beacon.

. . .

Sera grinned as she stepped out of the elevator. She was now outfitted in a black tank top, the white jacket and jeans, the pair of black boots, and a purple belt with her tattoo's symbol on it. She also strapped her new sword onto her back via the holster in her suitcase. It was a black leather strap that went rested on her right shoulder and went down to her left hip and held the weapon across her back. It had no scabbard, but instead had a rectangular piece of leather one foot in length that had been folded in half width-wise, and the sword rested in the piece. The folded leather was also engraved with intricate wave designs.

The huntress adjusted her jacket with a smile on her face and stepped out of the elevator.

"Hell yeah." She said to herself, then walked towards the exit of Beacon Tower.

Students and non-students' jaws dropped at the sight of Sera's fresh new duds, and she soaked it in with a prideful smile on her face. They'd been seeing her wearing nothing else but either her usual red tank top and jeans or her Beacon uniform, so seeing her now was a surprise.

She was loving being the center of attention for a change, besides her already-given attention from being the amnesiac new student, of course. However, what she didn't like was the _extra_ attention that the males were giving her. She was tempted to test out her new sword on a few of them, but she just gritted her teeth and resisted the urge. Normally, no one would get _this_ mad over something as little as this, but Sera's hot-headed nature made this a touchy case. Who would've thought that her attitude could change from one of complete pride, to one of absolute lividity?

The amnesiac managed to reach the dormitories without chopping anyone in half and proceeded towards her room. On the way, she passed two girls and a guy in black and white uniforms that stood in the hallway. From the way they stood, they took up the entire hallway and didn't really show any intention of moving. They may have been facing the opposite direction and probably didn't know Sera was storming towards them, but they still took up the hallway.

From the looks of it, one of the girls had long black hair that clearly had a lot of time put into it, another had dark skin and medium-length green hair, and the guy was tall with spiky gray hair.

Sera pushed the dark-skinned girl and the guy apart and continued walking past them.

"Hey!" the girl exclaimed.

Sera turned to them with a fire in her eyes, "You got somethin' to say too?"

The girl with black hair's orange eyes widened once she saw Sera's face.

"Yeah! Who do you think you are to push me and Mercury like that?" the girl with green hair asked.

Sera fully turned towards the three and stood face-to-face with them.

"Look, I'm in a bad mood and I just want to get to my dorm, unpack this, and get my day over with. I only have two weeks to get good with this sword for the tournament, and you three haven't improved anything by taking up the _entire_ hallway for some reason." Sera told them.

"We're sorry about that, just go on your way and we won't bother you any longer." The black-haired girl said.

Sera seemed taken aback by her apology, but she nodded and seemed to simmer down a bit. "Well all right. Don't let me catch you taking up the entire hallway again!" She pointed at each of them.

They all blinked at the girl's sudden mood change, then Sera continued to walk down the hallway, pulling her suitcase behind her.

"Why'd you apologize to that pest? You of all people-" Emerald started to say.

"Because, that 'pest' was supposed to die in Forever Fall over a week ago." Cinder interjected.

Mercury and Emerald's eyes widened slightly, "You don't mean-"

"Yes I do. We have to report this immediately." Cinder replied.

"She's _not_ going to be happy about this." Mercury said with a hint of worry in his voice.

Cinder sighed, "I know."

. . .

Sera kicked open the door to her team's room and stuck her head in.

"Guess who's back!" She grinned and walked in. Ruby was playing a video game with Yang, Weiss was applying nail polish to her nails, and Blake sat atop her bunk reading. They were all too invested in their activities to notice the amnesiac's loud entrance.

Sera sighed and closed the door loudly, then turned to see if that got a reaction. Nothing.

She then groaned and set her suitcase against the wall, dusted off her new clothes, then stood and tried her best to look presentable.

Sera put her hands on her hips and cleared her throat loudly. Somehow, that's what drew their attention. All of their eyes widened and Ruby and Yang's game paused.

"Holy-" Yang said.

"COOL!" Ruby jumped up and immediately began inspecting Sera.

"Looks like Ozpin came through." Blake noted.

"She's stealing your color, Weiss." Yang smirked.

"Hey!" Weiss exclaimed.

Sera grinned with Ruby still examining every inch of Sera's new gear.

"Is that a Dust sword?!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Think so." Sera said and unsheathed her sword. Its red blade shone in the light while she held the large sword with one hand.

"A what?" Yang asked as she stood.

"Dust sword! Dust can be loaded into it and can the Dust's element can be temporarily imbued into it. For instance, she could literally hit something with fire!" Ruby squealed in excitement.

"Kind of like Weiss' rapier?" Blake asked.

"Kind of. Weiss blasts stuff with Dust, this is a physical attacking move." Ruby explained.

"We have to test that." Yang said.

"Duh!" Ruby replied.

"We can't in here, you dolts! Plus it's too late in the day to go to the training arena. We'll have to wait until tomorrow." Weiss chimed.

"Maybe during Port's class." Blake pointed out.

"Yeah! He's always having those sparring matches with captured Grimm. Just volunteer whenever he brings it up!" Ruby said.

Sera just watched as her teammates debated on the best way to test her new sword's capabilities. A sudden thought popped into the amnesiac's head. She flicked the switch on the sword's hilt, then the weapon quickly transformed. The blade collapsed and the hilt widened, and soon enough she was holding a four-foot long rifle with iron sights.

"Whoa!" Ruby gasped.

Sera held the rifle as if she were going to fire it and a small smile crept onto her lips.

"Nicely balanced. Same goes for the sword." She thought aloud.

"And it's also a gun. Naturally." Weiss said. Sera laughed and opened her suitcase, its lid opening and revealing its contents.

"You have _more?"_ Ruby gasped and went to the case.

"Just clothes. A shirt and belts similar to this one." Sera replied, pointing at her own waist.

Ruby dug around in the suitcase and held up a belt, "What 'bout this one?"

Sera's eyes narrowed at the belt. It looked different than the others, wider with small loops covering the length. Its buckle was also larger than the others, but it still had the Omega engraved on it.

"I didn't see that one. Where was it?" She asked.

"Under the black shirt." Ruby replied.

"Of course it was." Sera sighed, then walked over to Ruby. The team leader handed her the belt, which she inspected closer. The loops appeared to be for bullets or maybe small Dust crystals. There was also a spot where Sera's right hip would be where it appeared as if something could be attached or put onto the belt.

"What a weird belt..." Sera thought aloud.

"It looks like one of those belts you see in those old movies." Weiss noted.

"You mean the cowboy movies?" Yang asked.

"Yeah, those." Weiss replied.

"Cowboy belt, huh? Looks pretty neat." Sera said, then put the belt around her waist. The leather for it was dark brown instead of black, so it stood out a bit more from the rest of her clothes. The left side of the belt rested just below her regular belt while the right side sat lower on her hip.

"Looks cool!" Ruby complimented.

"Thanks, Rubes." Sera smiled and looked at herself in Weiss' mirror on the wall.

Sera smirked and transformed her weapon, sheathing it on her back. She then removed the leather holster and set the sword against the wall, then took off her jacket and hung it on a hanger. The white-haired girl pushed her new suitcase into the dorm's closet and turned to look at her team.

"With these weapons, no one's going to stand a chance in the tournament." She grinned, excited to test out her new gun/sword.


	3. Chapter 3

"You call that an attack?" Sera smiled as she dodged another one of Nora Valkyrie's hammer swings. It had been a week and a half since Sera received her new weapon and clothes, and she was only just now being able to use it in combat. Every one of her attempts to be in a sparring match against Grimm or her fellow students was either declined or given a "rain check". Every time she tried to volunteer to fight a Grimm in Professor Port's class, another student was faster to raise their hand. This irritated Sera to no end, but she was completely overjoyed when Nora challenged her to a duel.

Sera smirked as she prepared for Nora's next attack. The two were fighting in Professor Goodwitch's sparring room, with their entire class watching with wide eyes and large expectations.

The red head leapt towards her in a huge overhead swing. Sera quickly evaded the blow and swung her sword one-handed into Nora's side. Nora flew several feet to the left and landed on her feet with a broad smile on her lips.

"That was a good one!" Nora complimented as she readied her hammer. "You'll have to do a lot better than that, though!"

"Count on it!" Sera replied and hefted her mighty sword. She was a bit reluctant about the sword, but her above average strength allowed her to freely swing the weapon as if it weighed next to nothing.

Nora grinned and gripped her hammer tighter while Sera gripped her own weapon with both of her hands. The sword was as tall as she was, if not slightly shorter. It appeared massive, but Sera figured that the bigger it was, the harder it could swing.

The two girls ran towards each other and prepared to swing each of their weapons.

Nora smirked and raised her hammer while Sera prepared to swipe from her right. The two grew nearer and nearer, and with each step, the spectating students' breath hitched.

Sera decided she was close enough and swung her sword, its crimson blade gleaming. Nora brought her hammer down as hard as she could, hoping to hit Sera before she hit her. But Sera feinted! She redirected her sword's swing and dodged to the right, using her momentum to spin and bring the blade down on Nora's shoulder. Nora's eyes widened at the sudden pain, but thankfully her aura held out. The sheer weight of the sword caused the Valkyrie to slam onto the ground, faceplanting on the floor and creating a small crater from the force.

Sera landed on her feet and grinned, _"I love this thing!"_ She twirled the claymore with one hand. _"Now's a perfect time as any to test out that Dust function!"_

Sera flipped the switch on her weapon's hilt, popping open a small slot just under the cross guard. She then reached into her pocket and pulled out the many different colored Dust shells.

 _"Eeny meeny miney... You!"_ Sera grinned and popped in a random vial of Dust. The blade of her weapon immediately began sparking with energy. As soon as Sera got into a fighting stance, Nora picked herself off of the ground with a determined glint in her eyes.

"Ready for more?" Sera asked, her voice cocky.

Nora eyed the sword in her hands and grinned. She said nothing, but instead jumped to her feet and rested her hammer on her shoulder, gesturing at Sera with one hand as if she were saying, "Well come at me."

In the seats beside the arena, Ruby's eyes widened.

"Does she not know about Nora's semblance?" She asked.

"Does she?" Yang asked, turning to her sister.

"Did we actually never tell her?" Weiss' eyes widened.

"Uh-oh..." Blake said, her eyes not leaving the stage.

Sera's eyes narrowed and she rushed Nora. The red head made no attempt to stop Sera or to defend herself. Instead, she just stood there with a smirk on her face.

Sera swung her sword, aiming to hit Nora in the side. Fast as lightning, Nora blocked the attack with the staff of her hammer. The Valkyrie smiled with a crazed expression on her face as electricity arced through her hammer and into her. When the electricity had no visible effect on Nora, Sera's eyes widened with worry and she jumped several feet back.

"What the...?" Sera stood in a defensive stance.

"Oh it's time to _PARTY!"_ Nora grinned and tightened her grip on her weapon.

Sera said nothing as she scanned Nora's figure for any tell she could find. Nora leapt towards Sera at a rapid pace and swung her hammer downwards. It happened in the blink of an eye, and it took all Sera had to evade backwards.

 _"She's fast!"_ Sera thought to herself before she landed. Not wasting a beat, Sera rushed forward and swiped at Nora. Nora quickly dodged and managed to catch Sera in the side with her hammer.

Sera's eyes widened in pain as the hammer hit her in the gut, then she flew a dozen feet back and into the nearest wall. The impact created a shallow crater in the wall as Sera hit it spread-eagled. The amnesiac's sword sank hilt-deep into the wall to her left and everyone's eyes were glued to her, the entire room silent.

Nora smirked while Sera pulled herself from the wall and landed on her feet. She took a deep breath and glared at Nora. The Valkyrie's expression faltered at the fire in Sera's eyes.

Sera grabbed the hilt of her sword with one hand and effortlessly pulled it out of the wall, metal grinding against concrete. Nora lifted her hammer and narrowed her eyes. _'Her aura is growing...!'_ the red head thought to herself.

Sera raised her sword and rested it on her shoulder, her irises and purple tattoo on her right shoulder seeming to give off a faint glow as she smirked in the direction of Nora. Sera then raised her free hand and signed an extremely rude gesture at the Valkyrie. The entire classroom gasped except for Yang, who cackled loudly. Nora gritted her teeth and held her weapon tighter, but she too couldn't help but be amused by the amnesiac. Nora lunged at Sera, preparing to swing her hammer with just as much force as her previous blow.

However, the impending threat of being sent into a wall once again did not faze Sera in the slightest. She only stood in the same stance, her sword rested on her shoulder and a smirk on her face. With each millisecond, the red head drew closer and closer. The white-haired huntress analyzed every detail about the girl in front of her. The way the wind blew her hair, the exact speed at which she traveled, and the stance she would attack in.

Nora grinned and swung her hammer with all her might with the intention to send Sera _through_ the wall instead of into it. Then at the last possible second, Sera's eyes focused, widening as she mentally yelled the word, _'Stop!'._

Before Nora's hammer could collide with Sera's ribs, the turquoise-eyed girl was frozen in midair, the hammer mere inches away from her. Sera breathed a sigh of relief and laughed, running her fingers through her own hair. _'Holy Dust it worked!"_ She then stepped aside and around to Nora's wide-open torso.

The amnesiac grinned and raised her sword, the fire in her eyes still raging. Sera gripped the hilt tighter and swung across Nora's torso once. Then twice. Then a third time, and a fourth. _'That should do it, I doubt her aura can take much more. Plus I can_ feel _time about to return to normal.'_ Sera thought to herself as she sheathed her weapon. "Well, maybe I can do _**this!"**_

Sera then balled her fist and delivered a punch directly to Nora's cheek. Her head turned a few inches in the opposite direction of the blow and her cheek slightly rippled with at the impact. Sera smirked and turned to the frozen crowd, her eyes scanning the faces of her team. The white-haired huntress felt a mental twitch, then all movements resumed and the sounds of aura failing and something impacting against the floor could be heard. Just as time had resumed, Sera bowed deeply as if she had just finished a concert in front of a great audience.

After she raised her head to view her fellow students, she raised an eyebrow when she saw that their eyes were not on her, but gazing behind her. Sera turned around to find a battered Nora standing with her hand clutching her torso. Nora smiled with an excited light in her eyes while holding her hammer at her side.

"This ain't over yet, Snowball." Nora laughed dryly.

Sera grinned and put a hand on her hip, "Did Yang tell you that name?"

Nora smirked and raised her hammer, "I don't think there's anyone she hasn't told." Sera then turned her head and glared in her team's direction. "Uh-oh." Yang thought aloud, Sera's purple eyes boring into her. Sera then turned her attention to the large screen that indicated their aura levels, then back to the orange-haired hammer wielder in front of her.

 _'My aura's at 22 percent while hers is at 24. This is gonna be close...'_

Sera smirked and rested her large sword on her shoulder, "How about we compare the raw power of our attack rushes?"

Nora raised an eyebrow, "Never thought I'd hear those words in my life." She muttered to herself. "Sure! Just don't get mad when I win." Nora taunted.

"You're gonna have to come to me." Sera shrugged and pressed the tip of her blade into the floor, leaning on it casually.

"Oh yeah? Why's that?" Nora smirked.

Sera's expression then turned to one of complete seriousness, eyeing the hammer wielder with intensity in her eyes. "Cause I can't kick your ass from way over here."

Nora's eyes narrowed and a small smile crept onto her face. The students watching the fight stared with jaws dropped at the amnesiac's comment. Glynda Goodwitch gritted her teeth and clenched her riding crop tightly. She could tolerate a lot of things, but Sera's profanities were testing the older huntress.

Nora rolled her shoulders with both hands gripping her hammer. "Alrighty, then." She said under her breath, then swung her hammer around in a flashy way until the head of the weapon rested on the ground and she held its handle with one hand while her other was in a mock salute.

Team JNPR's and RWBY's eyes widened. They knew what the Valkyrie was about to do. Sera smirked and continued to lean onto the pommel of her sword. Nora grinned widely and clicked the trigger on her weapon. The grenade launcher on the hammer blasted her towards the purple-eyed huntress at an astounding speed. The blast caused pink smoke to erupt from behind Nora, creating a trail as she flew forward, still holding her hand in a salute as the wind whipped her hair around.

Sera's eyes widened as Nora began to spin forward, gaining speed and momentum as she prepared to deliver her hardest blow yet. Sera barely had enough time to lift her weapon and block the attack. She easily could've used her semblance again, but she knew that if she did, she'd probably be in a temporary coma for at least two days.

Sera grunted as Nora's hammer collided with her sword, making the amnesiac slide backwards several feet from the force of the impact. Nora made an annoyed grunting sound as the two fought for control of the power struggle, each of them pushing forward with all their might to gain the upper hand. It actually looked like Nora was going to win it after nearly a minute, but Sera suddenly smirked. Nora's eyes widened at the unexpected action, then Sera clicked the switch on the hilt of her sword and frosty mist began to emit from the blade. Ice formed where the two weapons connected, working its way towards Nora's hands and the head of the hammer.

"When did you...?" Nora asked with a shocked expression as she let go of her hammer before the ice could reach her hands.

Sera grinned and pulled the two weapons apart, breaking the ice, then throwing Nora's hammer behind her so the red head couldn't reach it. "Don't watch the mouth, watch the hands." She told her as she raised her sword with both hands.

Nora quickly squeezed her eyes shut as Sera swung her weapon. Before the blade could reach Nora's side, a loud buzzer sounded, interrupting her swing and causing it to stop an inch from its mark.

"And that's the match. This match was a prime example of why you should analyze your opponent and stay aware of _everything_ they do in a fight. Well done, you two." Glynda Goodwitch told them as she walked to the center of the arena stage.

Sera lowered her weapon and swung it with one hand before sheathing it in its strap.

Nora's expression was hard to read as she stared at the floor, her fists clenched. "That... Was..." she said, causing Sera and Goodwitch to look over at her, a twinge of concern on their faces.

"AWESOME! We HAVE to do that again sometime." Nora jumped into the air excitedly.

Sera blinked. "You're not mad?"

"Mad? That was the best fight I've had in ages! You might even be able to beat Pyrrha!" Nora grinned.

 _"Really_ now?" Sera smirked and held her chin with one hand. Over in the audience, embarrassment spread across Pyrrha's face at her teammate calling her out.

Professor Goodwitch turned to the students who watched the match. "Today won't be the day to find out, however. That's the last match of the day. I hope you all learned something from that performance, it might just help you in the tournament. That's all." She dismissed the class, and all the students rose from their seats to exit the large room.

Sera grinned at Nora beside her, then clapped her hand on the Valkyrie's shoulder. "C'mon Nora, we deserve some victory pancakes."

Nora gasped loudly. "I'm liking you more and more every _day!"_ She wrapped an arm around Sera's shoulders and quickly led her towards the exit.

. . .

"I thought Weiss was going to pop a vein from the amount of stress and excitement you two caused us!" Ruby laughed from her seat beside Sera in the cafeteria.

"I was not!" Weiss retorted, her arms crossed.

"Yeah, right! She was even cheering the fight on!" Yang put in.

"Wait, she was?" Sera asked, a mouth full of freshly made pancakes, courtesy of Lie Ren.

"Yeah, she was! I thought she was gonna jump onto the stage herself." Ruby added.

"It was honestly a surprise." Blake smirked.

"Whatever!" Weiss sighed. "Can we just talk about that fight? I mean, that was Sera's _first_ fight using her weapon. Imagine what she'll do in the tournament."

"Wow. Weiss sure is into Sera fighting now." Yang whistled.

Nora swallowed her mouth-full of pancakes and raised a finger, "She has a point. I _am_ the one who fought her, and it felt like she could've ended the fight when she wanted."

Sera put a hand on Nora's shoulder. "Come on, guys. You're making it sound like I'm invincible or something. I may have looked calm during that fight, but inside I was panicking cause Nora honestly scares me a little. If I'd meant what I said with that whole 'comparing attack power' thing, I'd probably be in the infirmary."

"Your semblance could've helped with that. I'm surprised you hadn't used it more." Pyrrha noted.

Sera turned to her and pointed a fork at her. "That's the thing, though. If I'd used it again, I would've fallen over from exhaustion. After testing its limits for the past week, I've learned two things. One, I can only do it for a small amount of time, but it seems like that time can extend with enough practice. Two, once I do use it, it strains my body and exhausts me."

"Is that why you slept for nearly seventeen hours straight on Wednesday?" Blake asked. Sera nodded in response and shoveled more pancakes into her mouth.

"Mm-hmm." She responded.

From a nearby table, three students wearing Haven academy uniforms were listening in on the two teams' conversation.

"Now _that_ is an interesting piece of information." Cinder said to her allies.

"Yeah, but we already knew her semblance." Mercury said with a mouth full of food.

"You idiot, they didn't even reveal her semblance in that conversation." Emerald rolled her eyes.

"True, but we didn't know she had limits. Or that her semblance could improve with practice." Cinder said, ignoring Emerald's remark.

"So what does that mean for us?" Mercury asked.

A small, cold smile crept onto Cinder's face. "It means we know of a weakness that we can exploit."

"Right. How are we gonna do that?" Mercury asked.

"All in good time, Mercury." Cinder responded.

. . .

"Sup, dudes!" A blonde boy with spiky hair, wearing an unbuttoned shirt, approached teams JNPR and RWBYS's table.

"Hey, Sun!" Ruby greeted.

Sera glanced at the newcomer. Her eyes slightly widened at the monkey tail behind him, but dismissed it.

"Sup, monkey man." Sera gave a two-finger salute. Sun's eyes narrowed at the girl with purple eyes.

"Who's the new gal?" He asked as he sat down next to Blake and Jaune.

"Don't mind Sera, she's just brash. Hey, how have you not met her yet? She's been on our team for like, two weeks." Ruby inquired.

Sun blinked. "On your team?"

"The better question is, where have you been for these last two weeks?" Blake asked.

"Oh! My team and I were assigned on a mission in Forever Fall forest. Something about increasing Grimm sightings? But there were hardly any for all of those two weeks." Sun replied.

"You're welcome!" Nora put in.

Sun ignored the hammer wielder and focused on Sera eating her pancakes. "So what's your story, Snowflake?"

Sera halted all movements as she looked up at the blonde Faunus.

"Well, Bananas, my story is that I have amnesia and have no idea who I am, so Ozpin put me on a team with _these_ lovely ladies until I either retain my memory or the headmaster finds another team to put me on. Sound about right, guys?" Sera turned to her team.

"Spot on." Yang agreed.

Sera turned her attention back to the Faunus to find a bewildered expression on his face. "That's one helluva story, Miss uh...?"

"Sera. Ruby literally just said it." Sera responded.

"Right! I'm Sun. Been hanging with this crew for a while now. Pleased to meetcha!" Sun smiled and extended a hand to Sera. The amnesiac raised her eyebrow at the Faunus and took his hand, shaking it once. "So what have you guys been up to since last we met?" Sun asked as he turned his attention back to the others.

"Not much actually. Nora and Sera just had a fight in Goodwitch's class, so that was pretty intense." Blake poked her food with a fork.

"WHAT? And I missed that?!" Sun exclaimed suddenly.

"Yep." Sera gave a slight smirk.

"Gah! How'd it go?" Sun asked and rested his open palms on the tabletop.

"Well, let's just say, try not to piss Sera off." Yang grinned and clapped the purple-eyed huntress on the shoulder.

"Hey, it wasn't an easy win!" Nora butted in, her cheeks puffed out indignantly.

"Yeah, but she still won with more ease than most could." Weiss said dryly.

"Hmph!" Nora crossed her arms.

"I just feel bad for whoever she has to fight in the Vytal Festival." Pyrrha chuckled lightly. **(Epic foreshadowing)**

Sera only sat and rested her chin on her open palm, her elbow propped up on the table, as her friends complimented her combat prowess. She wasn't much for praise, but the compliments that her team and JNPR gave her only boosted her already above-average ego.

"She can't be **that** strong." Sun crossed his arms, hardly believing the girls as they retold the fight.

"Well she sure looked like it!" Jaune chuckled, looking at the monkey Faunus.

"Yeah right." Sun replied.

"Wanna find out?" Sera suddenly turned to the blonde, a grin on her face and confidence radiating from her. Sun blinked with a surprised look on his face. "Nah, I'll wait till the tournament. It'll be more fun that way!"

"Uh-huh." Sera chuckled and went back to her meal.

"Whatever, they're probably just exaggerating about you, anyway." Sun said with a playful smile on his face.

"Nuh-uh! That semblance of hers makes her hard to beat!" Ruby grinned. Sun raised an eyebrow. "Her semblance? Do tell."

"It allows her to sto- mmph!" Ruby said before Sera clamped her hand over the younger huntress's mouth tightly.

"Quiet, you dolt! He's our friend, but he's still a potential enemy in the tournament!" Weiss said curtly. Sun smirked and flicked his tail around behind him. The monkey Faunus then stood abruptly and looked at them. "Welp! I think it's about time I get back to my own team before Scarlet drives the others crazy with those weird bird noises he likes to make. See you guys later!" He said as he walked away from the lunch table.

"What an odd fellow." Sera said without taking her eyes from her plate.

"Yeah, but he's really cool. You should've seen him and Neptune when we fought Torchwick on the highway!" Ruby said, reminiscing the battle with a smile on her face.

"That was actually pretty fun." Weiss said.

"Right?" Yang grinned.

"You lost me." Sera blinked.

"We've told you about this. Not even that long ago." Blake said dryly, her amber eyes staring at the amnesiac.

"Huh. Whatevs." Sera replied, then shoved a fork full of Ren's pancakes into her mouth.

"You're impossible." Weiss sighed and rolled her eyes.

"And _you're_ unbearable." Sera replied without hesitation.

"Wha-? You...!" Weiss's eyes narrowed.

Sera chuckled lightly and set her fork down. Team JNPR was hardly saying anything at all, only watching their friends banter back and forth, as if JNPR were watching a tennis match.

"If this goes on for much longer, they're gonna start a full-fledged fight." Ren said.

Jaune shuddered at the thought of another food fight. "We better skedaddle before anything like that happens." Without waiting, the four teammates stood and went to drop their plates off, all the while Sera and Weiss were arguing back and forth.

. . .

 **Later that evening...**

"Alright, team! After being requested by Blake Belladonna, our favorite cat Faunus, I, your fearless leader, order that we participate in at least half an hour of meditation per day!" Ruby stood with her hands on her hips after team RWBYS returned to their dorm room.

"Uhh, what?" Yang asked.

"That's right! So we're all going to sit on the floor, crisscross applesauce, and sit in silence while we meditate. Team exercises!" Ruby confirmed. Blake gave a small smile upon hearing that Ruby had listened to her request. But that smile soon evaporated when she saw the look on her other teammates' faces as they glared in her direction.

. . .

After a ton of complaints, the five team members sat in a large circle with their eyes closed and hands resting on their laps. Blake, Ruby, and Weiss sat rather peacefully while Sera and Yang's eyes shifted uneasily while they were shut.

Weiss was the first to break the silence after nearly two minutes in. In a relaxed and quiet voice, she said, "Y'know, this is actually kind of nic-"

"BORED NOW!" Sera said loudly, her eyes opening quickly as she stood and stretched. "Man, that was killing me! I dunno how you guys could bear it."

"Sera! This is supposed to be a team-building exercise!" Ruby whined and looked up at the purple-eyed huntress.

"Yeah, but couldn't you have picked something a bit more...exciting? Silence may be golden, but dang!" Sera responded and bounced on her heels slightly.

"We hadn't even made it five minutes!" Weiss sighed.

"I kinda gotta agree with Sera on this one." Yang said.

Blake sighed and stood. Her amber eyes rested between Sera and Yang. "Sorry. I just thought we could use something a bit more relaxing to do. Meditating always helps me, so I thought it might help you four as well."

Sera's expression softened as she listened to her teammate speak. "No, I apologize for ruining it. I just can't sit still for that long, y'know? The whole meditation thing just isn't for me."

"Me either, but if it works for you guys, then keep on with it. Sera and I won't bother you." Yang said with an apologetic expression on her face.

 _"Thank_ you. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to it. It actually kind of works!" Weiss crossed her arms.

"It's all right guys. What are you two gonna do in the meantime?" Ruby asked curiously.

"Oh, I'm sure we can think of something." Sera smirked and looked at her blonde teammate. Yang grinned and raised her fist, facing it towards Sera. The tattooed girl grinned in return and lightly bumped her own fist against Yang's. Blake gave a inaudible sigh of relief, happy that the two girls hadn't hated her activity, it just hadn't been for them. She was actually surprised that the normally hyperactive Ruby was sitting still long enough to participate.

"Don't wreck the school, you two." Ruby gave a small smile.

"Now Ruby Rose, who do you take your big sister for? Some sort of rebellious teen that doesn't care about property damage?" Yang furrowed her brow and looked at her sister.

"Yeah, it's not like we could blow up the school or anything like that." Sera grinned deviously.

. . .

 **Minutes later, in the grass of the main courtyard...**

"You ready?" Sera asked with a smile on her face.

"Snowball, I was _born_ ready." Yang grinned, holding a large stick she'd picked up as if she were going to swing it.

Sera grinned back excitedly. She hadn't even cared about Yang using her hated nickname, she was too eager to see how their irresponsible activity would play out. Sera then threw a red object as hard as she could at Yang. The blonde brawler's eyes narrowed, a look of determination on her face as she awaited her moment. Just as the object got within range, Yang swung the stick, hitting the fire Dust crystal as hard as she possibly could. The Dust exploded immediately in a red inferno and Sera's eyes went wide. But as soon as the smoke cleared, a grinning Yang stood, completely unharmed with a wild smile on her face.

 _"Must've used her aura to take the blast."_ Sera thought to herself.

"That was awesome! Throw another!" the blonde laughed. Sera smirked and fished out another crystal from the white silk bag she held in her hand. Upon leaving their dorm room, the amnesiac swiped the bag of Dust from Weiss's desk. With a broad grin, Sera pulled out a yellow Dust crystal that shone in the light.

"Here it comes~!" She yelled and chucked the thing in Yang's direction. Yang then swung just as hard as before once the crystal got in range, then erupted in a flash of yellow and a thunderclap. Sera shielded herself with her raised arms, but the smoke once again cleared to reveal a smiling Yang. But, this time something was different.

Sera immediately burst out laughing, falling onto her back in the grass and her legs swinging in the air. "What?" Yang asked and cocked her head sideways. Between breaths, Sera pointed at the blonde's head as she continued to figuratively die of laughter.

"What? It's not like I'm..." Yang's expression turned blank once her hands felt her head. As a result from the electricity blast, Yang's hair was comically poofed out and sticking up in all directions. The blonde's eyes gradually turned red as she realized what had transpired. "You goddamn..." Yang said with cold anger in her voice. Sera immediately recovered from her fit and stared at the blonde.

"BITCH!" She yelled and immediately ran towards Sera angrily.

"Uh-oh." Sera said as her eyes widened and she got to her feet. She began to run in the opposite direction of the angry brawler, the blonde's eyes glowing red and her hair aflame.

"GET BACK HERE!" Yang yelled as she chased Sera across the grass.

Sera sprinted like she never had before, actual fear running down her spine as she retreated from the blonde.

From the walkway nearest to them, Professor Ozpin sipped from his coffee mug as he watched the two girls. He had originally been going on his afternoon stroll through campus, but the sounds of Dust explosions drew him to the courtyard. His eyes twinkled with amusement while Sera ran from her friend, her arms positioned at a ninety-degree angle as she ran. It was an extremely odd way to run, but it didn't stop her from outrunning the very angry blonde.

Ozpin chuckled and took another sip from his coffee. After another few moments, the old headmaster brought up his Scroll-tablet and his eyes scanned over the images of various students. One of which, caught his attention. He brought up the image of a male student with short-cropped brown hair and a scar over his right eye. Said eye's pupil was gray as if he were blind in it. The boy wore a long red coat that reached his knees with an armored vest underneath. His bio said that he had prosthetic arms from his elbows down, and that his weapon _was_ the arms. The information reminded Ozpin of another student with prosthetic legs by the name of Mercury Black. The student's name was listed as classified, which only piqued the headmaster's interest even further. Ozpin also read that the male was apparently a student from Atlas, so James Ironwood would know more about him. The only words listed when he clicked on his name were "Codename: Viper."


	4. Chapter 4

"I said I was sorry!" Sera sighed, exasperated, while she followed Yang down the halls of Beacon academy. It had been three whole days since the two teammates were playing Dust baseball in the courtyard, but the blonde was still stewing with anger. It had taken her four hours to brush out the mess that her precious golden locks had become! A few strands of hair would still occasionally spring up and infuriate the brawler all over again.

"'Sorry' doesn't fix my hair! Do you have _any_ idea how long I've spent trying to fix it still?" Yang huffed as she marched to their next class, the rest of their team lagging behind as Sera chased after Yang.

"It looks fine to me!" Sera said hopefully.

"You don't get an opinion!" Yang shot back as she pushed open the door to Professor Port's class.

"Ugh!" Sera groaned melodramatically and followed her teammate.

"They've been like this for three days. When will it end?" Blake sighed as she, Weiss, and Ruby entered the large classroom.

"I dunno, but I hope it's soon." Ruby slumped her shoulders and adjusted her cloak over her uniform as she went to sit next to her sister and purple-eyed teammate.

"It better be. I know she cares deeply for her hair, but jeez!" Weiss huffed and sat with her arms crossed. Team JNPR turned to look back at the five girls that were seated directly behind them. "They still at it?" Jaune asked, a hint of humor on his voice.

"You know it. It's even worse today." Ruby groaned while Sera and Yang bantered to her immediate right.

Nora grinned and pounded her fist into her open palm, "Maybe I should knock some sense into them."

"Yeah, because that worked _so_ well last week." Weiss rolled her eyes, remembering the recent battle between Sera and the hammer wielder. Nora groaned in response and faced the front of the room. Pyrrha chuckled at her teammate's attitude.

"She's still embarrassed by it." The bright red head said, a twinkle in her emerald eyes.

"Am not!" Nora huffed with a childlike demeanor.

"It's not _my_ fault your precious friggin' hair was in the way of the blast!" Sera's voice cut in rather loudly.

"Oh yeah?" Yang glared at the white-head.

"Yeah!" Sera glared back.

"Oh yeah?!" Yang's glare intensified.

"YEAH!" Sera returned the glare in kind.

"AHEM!" Professor Port's voice caused their heads to turn to where the boisterous man stood by his desk. "Is there a problem, team RWBYS?"

"No problem, professor! Yang and Sera are going to start minding their manners right away! _Aren't_ you?" Weiss glared at the two loud girls.

"Uhh, yeah. Definitely. Starting...now." Sera replied and sank into her seat slightly.

"I hope so, or else you two may have to collect yourselves in detention." Port said sternly.

"No need for that, Professor! I'll make _sure_ they don't interrupt class anymore." Ruby volunteered, trying to keep her sister and friend from being punished for their antics.

"Very well, Miss Rose." Port nodded, apparently assured by Ruby's words. "NOW! Back to how my heroic deeds saved the town of Lavender from what the locals believed to be ghosts blah blah blah blah." Professor Port's voice quickly disinterested the five members of team RWBYS.

"Will you just forgive me now? I've apologized literally a thousand times." Sera whispered to the blonde beside her.

"Maybe if you actually meant it!" Yang replied in a hushed tone.

"I do! Maybe if you'd actually get over that hair of yours... Uh, I actually don't know where I was going with this." Sera trailed off, her eyes drifting slightly to the side.

Yang smirked at her teammate, but quickly recovered from it before her white-haired teammate (not Weiss) saw her.

"Tell you what. If you actually manage to get called down to fight whatever beast Port has in store for us today and entertain me well enough, maybe I'll forgive you." Yang turned her head to look at Sera.

"You want me to put on a friggin' show to make it up to you? Hell no!" Sera replied, an incredulous look on her face.

"Fine, have it your way. I'll just continue to milk this whole situation to tick you off." Yang raised her hands as if she were surrendering. After a moment's thought, Sera closed her eyes and groaned, deciding that a possibly embarrassing herself was worth not having to hear about Yang's "damaged" hair any longer.

"Fine. But after I wipe the floor with this thing, I don't want to hear any more whining out of you, got it?" Sera looked at the blonde with an annoyed look on her face.

"Crystal clear~ Now you better hurry, it looks like he's about to unveil the mystery Grimm!" Yang replied with a smug smirk.

 _'Oh boy...'_ Blake mentally sighed while she listened to her two teammates.

"Now! Who would like to participate in our weekly one-on-one fight against a dark creature of Grimm? Eh? Any takers who want to win glory for their team?" Professor Port asked and wagged his bushy eyebrows.

"I do, sir!" Sera called out loudly enough for everyone to hear and raised her hand high.

"Oho! Our newest addition to the student body! I've heard tales of your battle against Miss Valkyrie, so I expect great things from you in this particular bout!" the professor called back. "Go ahead and change into your combat equipment and prepare for the fight, we'll be awaiting a grand spectacle!"

Sera nodded and looked to her blonde teammate. "Looks like I'll be getting that forgiveness soon." Sera smirked.

"We'll see about that, Snowball. Just look at the cage over there." Yang gestured with her head to a particularly large steel cage sitting in the corner. It was at least twenty feet tall and low growling could be heard emanating from within.

"Piece of cake." Sera blew air and moved down the aisle to retrieve her weapon from the locker room.

After the amnesiac let the door swing close, indicating that she had left the room, Yang turned to her remaining three teammates with an amused look on her face.

"This should be interesting." She told them.

"Given by her general attitude, yeah probably." Blake deadpanned.

Ruby shook excitedly, hardly able to sit still at the opportunity to see one of her teammates fight to represent their team.

. . .

 _'I'll show her. Her smug friggin' face.'_ Sera thought to herself as she put on her new white jacket. She'd outfitted herself in the white jacket and pants along with a black crop top that ended just a few inches above her belly button. A black belt was around her waist, its silver buckle shining in the light. Once Sera put her weapon and its carrying strap over her shoulder, the white-haired huntress checked her reflection in the mirror hanging inside her locker's door.

 _'There's no way I'm not going to the Underworld, because it is a SIN to look this good!'_ She grinned at the reflection then slammed her locker closed.

"Alright," Sera cracked her knuckles and neck. "Let's give these guys a show."

. . .

"When's she gonna come back? Dust, it's taking forever!" Ruby groaned impatiently.

 _ **WHAM!**_

Everyone's heads turned to see that Sera had kicked open the door to the classroom, a smug smirk on her face.

"Okayyy, who's ready to for your daily entertainment? Eh? Any takers?" Sera asked the crowd as she walked down the steps towards Professor Port. She smirked when she saw Cardin Winchester sitting in one of the front seats. The sword-wielder smirked and ruffled his crewcut hair. "Whaddya say, Winchester? Ready for a show?"

Cardin tightened his jaw and pushed the girl's hand away with a sneer. Sera hadn't had too many run-ins with the leader of team CRDL, but she knew he was a jackass that had treated Velvet Scarlatina poorly and blackmailed Jaune, so she was happy to annoy or generally mess with him.

"Whatever, I can't wait to see you fail miserably." Cardin replied.

"Ooh, saucy." Sera said and hopped down the final step to land in front of Professor Port.

"Ah, finally! Eager to face your opponents, I see." The boisterous man laughed.

"Hell ye- Wait, opponents? Plural?" Sera asked.

Port's mustache raised on one side slightly as if he were smiling. "Indeed! Why do you think that cage is so large?"

"Because there's an extra-big Grimm inside?" Sera asked, peering around the professor. Professor Port let out a hearty laugh and walked over to the large metal cage. "No, my girl! There are _two_ extra-big Grimm in this cage!" He said as he stood beside it with his battle axe raised.

Ruby Rose shook with excitement at the large professor's words. Blake's eyes widened slightly as Port raised his battle axe, preparing to swing. "Two? This can't be good."

"I agree. Two large Grimm for a training match? There's no way." Weiss added in.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine!" Ruby said with a broad smile.

"You're just saying that cause you wanna see her fight." Blake said dryly.

"No...! Okay, maybe a little, but trust me, she'll be fine!" Ruby continued.

"I actually agree with Ruby on this." Pyrrha turned to her friends. "If the fight with Nora was any indication, she can take a hit or two. The question is..." Pyrrha said, turning her head back to the center of the room. "How well can she hold out against two powerful opponents?"

Just as she asked this, Professor Port swung his battle axe downwards, breaking the chain instantly. The large door swung open slowly, and two pairs of large, red eyes glowed through the darkness.

Sera raised an eyebrow quizzically, and the two Grimm within the cage suddenly surged forward, their eyes trained on the white clad huntress.

 _'Uh-oh...'_ Sera's eyes widened, then she jumped over the pair of enormous beasts in a backflip when they became too close for comfort. _'They're big!'_

Sera landed nimbly, then looked over her shoulder at the Grimm.

"How did they capture two of _those?"_ Jaune asked with wide eyes. Even Ruby began to look nervous after seeing what Port had in store for their favorite amnesiac.

In the shadows of the back of classroom, a tall figure wearing a white shirt, torn red cape, and a necklace with a sideways cross pendant stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the backwall. _'Alright, Snowball.'_ Qrow thought to himself as he watched Sera's eyes scan her opponents. _'Let's see what you got.'_

The large pair of Ursa Majors turned to look down at the white-haired huntress. Sera groaned and looked up at the ceiling, then back at the two Ursa. "Alright, teddy bears, let's razzle dazzle." She got into a fighting stance with her fists raised. The two Ursa charged her again, on all fours, but Sera held her ground. Once the first one got within range, she punched it in its masked face and jumped several feet back to get some breathing room. Expecting the blow to temporarily put the Grimm out of commission, Sera's eyes widened to see both Ursa still running at her.

 _'Okay then...'_ She thought to herself and unslung her large sword and held it tightly. The Ursa she'd struck swiped at her with its large paw once it reached her, but Sera quickly brought up her weapon to block the blow. She gritted her teeth and redirected the Grimm's blow into the floor. Sera quickly followed up by slashing the beast across its chest, creating a large and deep gash and spilling black blood onto the floor. The Ursa roared in pain, but its partner in crime took the opportunity to attack her by hitting her in the side, knocking her several feet away and onto the ground.

"Sera!" Ruby exclaimed and clenched the seat in front of her tightly. The second Ursa capitalized on Sera's severe disadvantage and brought its paw downwards onto her in one mighty swing.

Even Professor Port began to look worried, resisting the urge to rush to her aid. Qrow raised an eyebrow from the back of the room and team RWBYS and JNPR's faces were filled with shock. After exactly four seconds of silence, a familiar voice shouted out.

"Get off of me, Winnie the Pooh!" Sera growled. She lay on her back with her sword held out in front of her, blocking the blow of the Ursa. At the last possible second, she'd braced her weapon with both hands to defend herself from the oncoming attack. Once the audience realized what had happened, Qrow smirked and went back to relaxing against the wall. _'Not bad, kid.'_

Sera quickly pushed the Ursa's paw away and rolled to her feet, transforming her weapon into its rifle form while she rolled. The amnesiac put a volley of rounds into the Grimm with her semi-automatic weapon, but quickly had to evade the attack of the other Ursa. She dodged its first blow by leaping into the air as high as she could, nearly touching the ceiling. She fired round after round as she went upwards, but as soon as she reached the peak of her leap and coincidentally ran out of rounds in the magazine, she brought down the butt of her rifle to bring it down in an extremely powerful blow to the beast's skull.

The Ursa in question looked up just in time to find Sera falling towards it with a grin on her face and the rifle raised above her head.

 _ **KER-RACK!**_

A loud crunching noise filled the room, then the sound of a body hitting the floor soon followed. The butt of the gun immediately crushed the large Grimm's skull, caving it in and killing it instantly. Sera's boots thudded against the floor when she landed, a triumphant grin on her face. Ruby's eyes filled with joy and excitement at the sight of her teammate as she cheered. Yang grinned at Sera's handiwork, while Weiss, Blake, and the rest of team JNPR, and the whole room for that matter, just looked shock. It took an incredible amount of strength to crush an Ursa's skull, given how thick the bone is, but she'd done it with one, extremely powerful hit.

"Alright, your turn." Sera smiled as she transformed her weapon back into a sword. The remaining Ursa was the one she'd cut across the chest, and it was eager to get revenge for both its companion and wound. Sera then smirked and raised her weapon as the creature ran towards her, its large paws thundering against the floor.

Professor Port raised his bushy eyebrows as the large heap of black fur ran towards the small huntress.

 _'What does she have in store for this one?'_ The professor thought to himself. In the ocean of students watching, team RWBYS and JNPR's eyes widened as the Grimm drew nearer.

"I bet she's going to pull off some wild trick and chop off its head!" Ruby said excitedly.

"I think she'll retreat and fire from a distance like with the other." Blake mused.

"Perhaps she'll attack its limbs to weaken it and go in for the kill." Jaune said, remembering the battle so long ago against the Deathstalker during initiation.

"I think she'll whack it." Nora said simply.

"Come on Nora, not even she would do something so incredibly basic." Pyrrha nudged the Valkyrie.

"Yeah, I doubt she's _that_ simple-minded." Weiss crossed her arms.

Down on the stage, Sera started to run towards the Ursa Major that charged her.

"...She's running at it." Yang sighed.

"She's gonna whack it!" Nora said excitedly.

 _'I'mma whack it.'_ Sera grinned as she and the Grimm neared each other. As soon as the two got within range, Sera leapt at the Ursa and brought down the flat of her blade onto its head.

 _ **THONK!**_

"She whacked it!" Yang stood to get a better look at the fight.

The Ursa roared in pain and retreated several feet back just as Sera's feet landed on the floor. She quickly followed up her initial attack with a series of slashes to the Grimm's torso with a determined gleam in her eyes.

 _'She's fast.'_ Qrow raised an eyebrow as Sera landed blow after blow. The Ursa growled as if it were angry and swiped with its left paw. Sera didn't know this; however, she was too busy waylaying into the creature with her sword. Her head turned at the last second to see the massive paw incoming.

 _'Oh sugar honey ice tea...!"_ She tried to bring her sword up to block the blow, but it was too late. The Ursa swiped Sera aside as if she were a ragdoll, and her body tumbled as she rolled across the floor. The crowd said nothing while they wordlessly watched the event happen. _**(1. Ha, Madagascar reference)**_

Sera groaned and stuck her sword's blade into the floor, using the weapon as a crutch to pull herself to her feet. _'Alright...'_ She gritted her teeth and glared at the Ursa. The beast turned to her and bared its fangs, preparing to charge again.

Sera raised her sword and got into a fighting stance, the Grimm causing the ground to shake slightly as it ran towards her. The huntress suddenly smiled and she swung her sword up in an uppercut-like motion. The Ursa major roared loudly in pain and its massive body hit the ground with a dull thud. Sera panted and her eyes were on the heap of black fur.

After four heartbeats, the Ursa began to stir and Sera groaned in response.

 _'Why won't you die already?'_ Sera said to herself. The Ursa was covered in slashes all over its body, all of them pouring black blood onto the class floor. The Ursa Major shakily got to its feet, but instead of turning to its attacker, it surprised Sera by turning its large head towards the crowd of students. It bared its sharp teeth at them and began to run towards the dozens of rows of seats. The students' eyes widened and they began to get up to run, but the Ursa suddenly stopped its charge.

"Huh?" Ruby asked.

The Ursa turned its head slowly, looking behind it to find a grinning Sera holding onto it by its tail.

"Oh no, you don't!" She smirked and pulled the beast back as hard as she could, budging it a couple of inches. Sera heard Nora laugh loudly, then the amnesiac pulled her sword out of where'd she'd lodged it in the ground and sliced it into the Grimm's rear end.

The Ursa made a high-pitched growling noise and reared back. Sera jumped around to the Grimm's side and stood with her sword at her side and head hung low. As soon as the Ursa went back on all fours where it'd stood before, she quickly sliced at its neck, her head still low.

"That's enough out of you." She said as she picked her head up to look directly at her team.

Qrow smirked and walked to the room's exit, pushing the door open and taking a swig of liquor from his flask as he made his leave. _'Not bad at all, Snowball.'_

Sera's eyes moved to the sudden movement out of the corner of her eye to see the ripped-up hem of a red cape in the doorway before it swung closed.

"My word! What a fine display of heroism, courage, and pure strength! You disposed of those Ursa Majors as if they were lowly Beowolves, which is no easy feat. Now! That's all the time we have for today. Make sure you do the assigned readings, and happy Vytal Festival, students!" Professor Port's voice boomed throughout the room.

Sera sighed and rested her sword onto her shoulders. "What, no applause for the display I just put on? Jeez, tough crowd." She smirked and walked up the stairway to her awaiting team, but not before giving Cardin Winchester an amused glance.

"That was...! That was...! Sooooo cool!" Ruby squealed.

"For a second there, it looked like you were gonna let that Ursa charge into the audience, Snowball." Yang smirked.

"You really need to come up with a better nickname than that, Weiss is the snow princess around here." Sera replied with a groan as she made her way to the exit.

"Hey!" Weiss said indignantly.

"Where you guys going after this? I gotta drop my stuff off." Sera pushed the door open as she and her friends made their leave.

"To Oobleck's class, I guess. We all still have that before the day's over." Jaune responded.

Sera, Yang, Ruby, and Nora groaned at the mention of the hyperactive professor.

"I don't feel like dealing with Mr. Caffeine today." Sera groaned again to emphasize her point.

"Don't worry, just another few days and we can fight in the Vytal Festival!" Ruby said excitedly.

"Yeah! I can't wait!" Yang pounded her fists together.

"Yeah whenever Ozpin wants to inform me of his little idea to make it legit for me to fight in it." Sera responded.

"He will. Or he should, at least. There's no telling what's going through his head with things like this." Weiss said. Sera sighed and pushed open the door to the locker room. "You guys go on ahead, I gotta change and stuff."

"Okay, see you in a bit!" Ruby responded and continued to walk down the hall with their friends.

. . .

It took longer to change than Sera would have preferred, mainly due to the amnesiac temporarily forgetting her locker code. After a long ten-and-a-half minutes, she sighed in relief as she exited the locker room. And immediately bumped into someone head-first.

"Hey, watch where you're go-!" She groaned and rubbed her sore forehead, but was interrupted by her breath hitching when she saw the person before her.

"Terribly sorry! I really must watch where I'm going these days." The tall boy apologized. Standing in front of the amnesiac was a six-foot-tall boy with short brown hair and a scarred right eye. He wore an Atlas uniform with a red beret atop his head and a black half face mask covered, well, half of his face.

"It's cool, shouldn't have ran out like that without looking. You new?" Sera asked, looking up to meet the boy's eyes.

"Affirmative, I'm here to compete in the tournament. Could you direct me to Professor Port's classroom, please?" He replied kindly.

Sera nodded and turned to point down the hall to her left. "Sure, just head down that hall and take a right. Should be right there."

"Ah! I just left there." The boy sighed. Something reflected sunlight into the white-haired huntress's eyes, then she glanced down to see a pair of metal hands from the Atlas student's sleeves.

"You in an accident or somethin'?" Sera asked, slightly cocking her head.

"Hm?" He blinked.

"Your hands."

"Oh! Yes, that's a...long story." He replied solemnly, clutching one of his prosthetic hands with the other.

"Ah. Sorry to hear that. Well, I've got to get to my class before Oobleck gives me about a year of detention." Sera kindly hinted.

"Right! Apologies for holding you up. Perhaps I'll see you around, Miss...?"

"Sera." She put a hand on her hip.

"Right. Well, bye Sera!" He waved, then began walking towards Port's class.

"I never caught your name." Sera called after him, but it was too late. He was already gone from sight.

 _'What an odd guy...'_ She mentally pondered, then spun on her heel to walk to Professor Oobleck's class.

. . .

"You what?" Yang asked.

"I'm not lying! He had _prosthetic_ arms." Sera gestured with her arms. After her conversation with the stranger, the white-haired huntress kicked open the door to Oobleck's room! ...And immediately got detention. Groaning and complaining, Sera sat down with her team and explained her encounter with the odd guy, gaining incredulous looks from the four girls of RWBY and even team JNPR.

"Sounds odd. Prosthetic arms, blind in his right eye, and a half face mask? I've seen some weirdly dressed people around-" Ruby said.

"Yeah like Sera." Weiss said under her breath.

"-but this sounds bizarre." Ruby finished.

"I'm tellin' you it's the truth!" Sera reinforced her point.

"There's no way. Unless..." Weiss thought aloud.

Sera blinked. "Unless...?"

"Back in Atlas, even I heard rumors of a prodigious young huntsman with mechanical arms. But to think they were true... Not even Ironwood would tell me anything." Weiss explained.

Yang blinked. "Okaaaay..."

Weiss sighed. "Why do I even bother."

 _'That guy's some sort of Atlesian progeny? According to Weiss, anyway...'_ Sera thought to herself.

"That sounds so cool!" Ruby's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Of course you think so." Blake rolled her eyes, amused by her childlike teammate.

"Miss Rose! Something you want to share with the class?" Doctor Oobleck announced.

"Er- No, Professor!" she replied.

"Just as I suspected! You and your team had better not disturb class again, or you'll have detention just like miss Sera."

Sera tightened her jaw at the low-blow.

"Now! Onto the anatomy and weak points of Leviathans..." Oobleck went on to his next lesson.

 _'Man, what a pain in the ass...'_ Sera groaned.

. . .

"FINALLY classes are over!" Sera sighed in relief after she kicked open the door to her team's dorm.

"Could you _please_ not do that to our door? We already had to get a new one from when Ruby attempted to bake cookies in a miniature oven." Weiss sighed.

"...How did that happen?" Sera turned to look at the heiress, eyebrows raised.

"It was an accident!" Ruby exclaimed and covered her own face.

"It exploded and took out the door. Collateral damage and whatnot." Yang added as she plopped down on her bunk.

"Really? That's hilarious." Sera cracked a smile, a smile that only grew wider when she saw Ruby's embarrassed expression. She was about to take advantage of her embarrassed state, but someone suddenly knocked on the door.

"Hm? Who would that be?" Blake asked.

"Gee, I dunno, perhaps one of the several people in our circle of friends? Couldn't possible be one of them, no way." Sera rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"Yeah, yeah..." Blake groaned and opened the door to reveal Professor Goodwitch standing there, arms crossed and riding crop in hand. Sera's shoulders immediately lowered when she saw the older huntress. "What do you and Ozpin want now?" She asked.

Goodwitch's eyes narrowed and her grip on the riding crop tightened in her hands. "Just come with me. You have a visitor."

"Visitor?" Yang blinked.

"This need not concern you four." Glynda said dismissively, then spun and walked down the hallway.

That ticked even Weiss off.

"Huh?" Ruby blinked.

"What's her deal?" Yang put a hand on her hip.

Sera sighed and began to walk after the professor. "I dunno, but...better go find out."

"What's even going on anymore?" Blake sighed once Sera was gone.

"I honestly have no idea." Weiss replied.

"Well...hopefully it's all right. But isn't it odd that she's been meeting with Professor Ozpin a lot lately?" Ruby asked.

"...Ruby she has amnesia and isn't even originally from this school." Yang said, looking at Ruby.

"...Shut up."

. . .

It took no time at all for Professor Goodwitch and Sera to reach Professor Ozpin's office at the top of Beacon Tower. The headmaster himself was seated at his desk, gazing towards the entrance with his fingers laced and elbows resting on the desktop.

"Okay, what gives? It seems like every time everything's starting to feel normal, I get called into this office for you to drop some other nuke all over my day." Sera said as casually as someone would if they were ordering a coffee from a café.

"Well if you must know, _Snowball."_

Sera's shoulders squared and her jaw tightened at the voice that spoke. From the shadows of the room behind her, a man with a smirk on his face stepped out and approached Sera and Ozpin.

"Qrow. How're ya doin', old man?" Sera turned her head slightly and watched Qrow out of the corner of her eye.

"Not so bad kid, not so bad. Hear you're making a name for yourself around here, kickin' the asses of the student body and even going so far as to take down an Alpha Beowolf with your bare hands. Sounds like the kind of shit Yang would do." Qrow smirked and crossed his arms.

"Oh she'd _definitely_ do that." Sera smiled and put a hand on her hip.

"Ahem." Ozpin cleared his throat, causing the two to turn their attention to him. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to get to the matter at hand."

"Right... So why was I summoned? Dominatrix lady said I had a visitor, which is Qrow, but there has to be a bigger reason than that." Sera crossed her arms.

 _ **Wham!**_

"Again?!" Sera clutched her head tightly and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Whenever you learn to keep your comments to yourself, that'll stop happening." Glynda replied with narrowed eyes as she crossed her arms.

"Yeah, yeah..." Sera rubbed the back of her head with one hand.

 _"Anyway,_ we think it'd be productive for you to accompany Qrow on one of his missions. It's possible it could help trigger a flashback to be in the field." Ozpin said calmly. Sera's eyes widened slightly and her arms uncrossed at the headmaster.

"You sure that's a good idea? Sending a student on a mission with a "professional" huntsman?" Sera asked.

"Hey." Qrow protested.

"I do, yes. For one, it's a good learning experience. Two, like I said before, it could very well trigger a memory. You may not even need to participate in the Vytal Festival, _this_ could be your chance to regain some of your memory."

Sera raised an eyebrow. "How do we even know that a combat mission would help? Or _any_ combat at all? How do _you_ know that any of this is going to help?" Sera was beginning to rattle on, her voice getting more and more out of control. Qrow's eyes widened slightly as Sera went on, beginning to pace in front of Ozpin's desk. Even Professor Goodwitch was taken back by her change of attitude.

"-I've been sitting around _waiting_ for my damn memory to come back, not knowing _who_ I am or _what_ the hell I'm doing here and it's been driving me _craz-"_ She went on, running her fingers through her hair with one hand.

"Kid." Qrow said.

"-and Port's class is so _damn_ boring that-" Sera was rattling on even more now, leaving the topic of amnesia and moving on to her day-to-day struggles with the staff and student body of Beacon. The amnesiac was releasing all of her pent-up stress and anger that she had been storing for the past several weeks, no longer caring who was listening.

"-and not to mention that _bitch_ of a student Weiss-" Sera groaned.

"KID!" Qrow said and put his hand on her shoulder.

"WHAT?" she turned to face him.

"Jeez kid, chill out. You're making a scene." Qrow chuckled and removed his hand. Sera's eyes widened slightly as she turned to look at Ozpin and Goodwitch.

"S-sorry." Sera said nervously.

"It's quite alright. I'm sure it's been stressful, having to sit around and wait." Ozpin said with a small smile.

"Given the circumstances, I'll forgive your use of language, _this_ time. But don't do it again." Glynda's expression slightly softened.

Sera sighed and ran her fingers through her hair again. "I'll do it."

"What was that?" Qrow asked, putting his hand by his ear as if he were trying to hear better.

"I said I'd do the mission." Sera looked at him.

"Sorry, couldn't hear tha-"

"Watch it old man, or you won't return from it." Sera glared at Qrow. The huntsman smirked and retained his usual posture.

"Alright then, you two will head out immediately and eliminate the threat. Sera, I advise you pack your things for a long trip. Good luck to you both." Ozpin nodded and picked up his coffee mug.

"Wait, eliminate? Leave immediately? Long trip?" Sera blinked as she looked between the three professors frantically.

"You heard 'em kid, let's get to it." Qrow smirked and pulled Sera along by the collar of her uniform.

"But I actually wanna compete in the Vytal Festival!" Sera whined as Qrow dragged her out of the office. The doors swung closed, allowing Ozpin and Glynda to get one last look of despair plastered on Sera's face.

"Are you positive this was a good idea? She's still a child, after all." Professor Goodwitch asked.

"A child with very high potential and one of the most powerful semblances we've ever seen. Plus she's got Qrow to watch after her. She'll be fine, Glynda." Ozpin said calmly. Professor Goodwitch sighed and shook her head. "If you say so. I just hope you know what you're doing."

"I always do." Professor Ozpin chuckled.

"Professor, why don't you tell her that you found who she is?" Glynda asked as she gazed at the open tab on Ozpin's desk. It was Sera's personal file with a Shade academy logo in the bottom right corner. Everything about her was displayed. Grades, her team's name and members (three of which were listed as missing, including her), and even her emergency contact.

"That's something for her to find out on her own, not to be explained to her by someone else." Ozpin calmly took a sip from his coffee. Glynda sighed again and went to exit the office. Before she went through the doorway, Goodwitch turned back to look at the headmaster. "And just how is she going to react when she finds out that you knew the whole time?" Without another word, Professor Glynda Goodwitch exited the office, closing the door behind her.

Ozpin looked into his coffee mug with a hint of sadness in his eyes. "I just hope I'll be forgiven."

. . .

"Kid calm down, I'm sure we'll be back in time for the Festival." Qrow rolled his eyes. He walked through the dorm halls with his hands shoved in his pocket while Sera slowly followed him, moping. "Maybe." Sera sighed.

"I wouldn't sweat it. You get to travel around a bit with me, your favorite huntsman." Qrow grinned and stopped beside team RWBYS's door, leaning his back against the wall. "I'll wait here, you go get your stuff."

Sera sighed and put her hand on the doorknob, hesitating a moment before opening the door.

"Sera's back!" Ruby announced.

"So how'd it go?" Yang asked.

"Oh, y'know, crappy." Sera replied, gaining a curious look from her team. The amnesiac sighed and closed the door. "How do I say this? I was uh, assigned a mission."

Weiss dropped the textbook she was holding.

"A mission? Alone?" Blake asked, closing her "romance" novel and setting it down.

"Not alone. With a huntsman." Sera replied as she grabbed her suitcase and began to pack clothes into it.

Yang raised an eyebrow as she watched her teammate zip up her suitcase. "What huntsman?"

Sera looked up at Yang, then Ruby, then back to Yang, then she smirked. "Your uncle."

The sisters' eyes widened in response.

"Uncle Qrow? You're going on a mission with him? By yourself?" Yang asked.

"Oh my Dust you're going to have the best time...! You're gonna fight a whole bunch of stuff and do top-secret agent stuff and...and...!" Ruby said excitedly.

Qrow, being on just the other side of the door, smirked at hearing his niece get so excited.

Another idea popped into the excited leader's head suddenly and she let out a gasp. "Is he here right now?"

"Yeah. But we're trying to leave kinda quickly, y'know?" Sera replied as she pressed the button on her suitcase, popping the handle out. Ruby's shoulders slumped and she looked down. "Okay. That's cool, I guess."

Qrow, hearing this from the other side of the door, sighed and instantly opened the door, not wanting to cause his Ace any grief.

Ruby looked up to investigate who had opened the door, and her eyes lit up instantly.

"UNCLE QROOOOOOOOW!" She squealed as she jumped towards the huntsman, wrapping him in a koala hug. Qrow smirked and put his hand on her head, "Hey, kiddo."

"Why're you taking our teammate on a mission meant for a huntsman like you?" Blake asked.

"Well _kitten,"_ Qrow looked at the Faunus, who shot a glare at him. "Ozpin wants her to go with me cause it might just trigger one of her missing memories through combat, especially against the Grimm that we've been assigned to take down."

Sera raised an eyebrow at this.

"What Grimm?" Weiss asked, crossing her arms. Ruby was still hugging her uncle tightly, not even listening to what her team was saying. Qrow smirked at the heiress's question and pushed down on Ruby's head, causing her to fall to the floor and land on her behind.

"C'mon kid, we'd better get going." Qrow said, then turned to the door and walked into the hallway.

"Bye, Uncle Qrow!" Ruby waved, undeterred from the fall.

"Uh, right. See you guys at the Vytal Festival, I guess!" Sera gave her team a small wave as she followed the huntsman, pulling her suitcase behind her.

Yang's eyes narrowed as the amnesiac left the room. Once the door closed, Sera gave a muted sigh and continued after Qrow, who shoved his hands into his pockets and made his way down the hall.

"Now I know you have to pick up your weapon from the locker rooms, so let's swing by there real quick." The huntsman looked over his shoulder.  
"Yeah and change out of this friggin' uniform." Sera nodded.

"I definitely know where you're comin' from, I hated wearing the uniform. Did I ever tell you about the time I wore a skirt?" Qrow asked.

"You _what?"_ Sera asked incredulously.

"Never mind, it was a long time ago and- look here we are!" Qrow said, and true to his word, they neared the locker room doors.

Sera set her suitcase against the wall and opened the door. "I won't be long." She said to the older huntsman.

"I know you won't, Snowball." Qrow chuckled. The amnesiac rolled her eyes and entered the large locker room.

She quickly changed out of her Beacon uniform and into her new white jacket, pants, boots, and a purple tank top that matched the purple on her jacket. She then put on her usual belt with a silver Omega buckle, then looked into her locker and considered an item. With a quick shrug, she put on the loose-fitting gun belt around her waist, its large Omega buckle shining in the light and the belt itself sitting crooked on her hips as if she were an old-fashioned gunslinger.

Sera smirked at her reflection and held her belt in the same manner as if someone were resting their hands in their pockets. The sound of a door opening drew her attention, and she turned her head to investigate. The person that entered the locker rooms was none other than Yang Xiao Long.

"Yang? What's up?" Sera raised an eyebrow as the blond approached her.

"Look I know that you've gotta go and all that, what with Qrow standing outside waiting and all that, but you can do a better goodbye than that. 'See you at the Vytal Festival'? C'mon." Yang smirked as she stood in front of Sera. The amnesiac smiled and put a hand on her hip. "What, you gonna miss me or something, Blondie?"

Yang momentarily averted her eyes and lightly punched Sera in the shoulder. "Gonna miss kickin' your ass in Goodwitch's."

Sera smiled. "I believe it was the other way around, Xiao Long. Besides, it's only like what, a little over a week? I'll be fine. Not sure about your uncle, though." She then neared Yang and put her open hand beside her mouth, hand pointed upward as if she were hiding what she was saying from someone else in the room. "He's kinda soft. May have to save his hide a few times before this is all said and done." She whispered.

Yang chuckled. "Yeah I think I'll miss you. Ruby, too. Blake might, not sure there, but I don't think Weiss is effected at all."

"Figures. Hey, when you get back to the others tell them, and I quote, 'Sera says she'll miss all of us. Me, Ruby, Blake...Ice Queen.'" Sera smirked.

"Dust, she hates that!" Yang smiled broadly.

"Exactly, my blond friend." She put her hand on Yang's shoulder. The brawler continued smiling at Sera's smirking face.

"Hey kid, could you stop sucking face and hurry along? We got an airship to get to!" Qrow announced through the locker room. He must've poked his head in to say that. Immediately, blushes spread across the huntress' face at the huntsman's words.

"Shut it, you old bastard!" Sera shouted back with a scowl on her face. She groaned and looked back at Yang, who had an awkward smile on her face.

"Guess you'd better get going, then." Yang said.

"Looks like it." Sera sighed and slung her sword across her back. The brawler's eyes scanned the amnesiac's face as she slammed her locker shut. Sera raised an eyebrow at her teammate's facial expression, but shrugged it off. "Gonna miss ya, Yang." Sera said as she began to head towards the exit.

"Sera?"

"Hm?" Sera halted and turned around. However, as soon as her body turned, Yang lunged forward and _hugged_ her tightly.

"Wha-?" Sera asked with wide eyes.

"Don't die out there, okay?" Yang said gently.

"You realize who you're talking to, Xiao Long?" Sera chuckled.

"Yeah but...do you know how much it'd destroy Ruby if something happened?" Yang said.

"You misspelled 'me'." Sera said, then Yang tightened her grip, crushing Sera's ribs and lifting her up enough to get her feet off the ground.

"What was that?" Yang grinned.

"N-nothing!" Sera squeaked. Yang then returned her to the ground and released her, allowing Sera to catch her breath. "Now get outta here before my uncle leaves without you." Yang smiled.

"I think I will, before you kill me." Sera held her chest in pain and stumbled towards the exit. Yang laughed as Sera pushed the door open and left the locker room. "Bye, Sera!" She called after her.

The poor amnesiac stumbled out of the locker room clutching her chest with a pained expression on her face.

"Wow, looks like she did a number on you." Qrow chuckled. Sera glared at the huntsman and straightened her posture, grabbing her suitcase and walking down the hallway.

"You were the one so eager to go and now you're just standing there." Sera said without looking back. Qrow chuckled in response, and Yang appeared doorway.

"What'd you do?" Qrow asked his niece.

"Oh y'know, squeezed her real hard." Yang smirked.

"Figures. Well, see you around kiddo." Qrow ruffled her hair and followed Sera. "Better go now before she leaves without me."

"See ya, Qrow." Yang gave a two-fingered salute as Qrow shoved his hands in his pockets and went down the hallway.

. . .

"So lemme get this straight. We're hunting a Grimm that's basically a whole bunch of King Taijitus on one body with only one known way of killing it?" Sera asked. She and Qrow were flying towards the border that separated Vale and Vacuo. Supposedly, a large Grimm has been terrorizing dozens of villages in the forest and all the huntsmen and huntresses that sought it out haven't returned. That's why Ozpin assigned the most skilled huntsman he knows to eliminate it: Qrow. With Sera as backup.

"Pretty much, yeah. Oh, it spits poison as well. There's your nugget of information for the day." Qrow replied.

Sera rolled her eyes and leaned against the wall of the airship. "Great." She sighed.

"Don't worry kid, we're only the eighth and ninth huntsmen to try to kill this thing. That we know of." Qrow said.

"Not helping." Sera groaned as she then leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees.

"We'll be fine." Qrow assured her.

"See you keep saying that, but why do I get the feeling that we're up shit creek without a paddle?"

"Cause you're not entirely wrong."

"Thought so." Sera looked towards the front of the airship. Qrow smirked and laid his sword in his lap.

"Go ahead and get some rest, kid. It's gonna be a few hours till we get there." Qrow told her. Sera looked at the huntsman quizzically, then sighed. "Fine. But not because you said so!" She pointed at him.

"Yeah, yeah." Qrow chuckled, then Sera leaned against the wall and tried to get comfortable. After a few moments, the amnesiac's eyes fluttered closed.

. . .

"In the knees, go for the knees!" A voice shouted. The setting of a battlefield filled Sera's mind. A village lay in ruin, smoke trailing into the sky from the scattered burning buildings. A pair of individuals were currently fighting for their lives against an impossible foe: a giant, humanoid Grimm. Except it had a bull's head, complete with a pair of massive, pointed horns, hooves, and a thin tail. Its furry humanoid body rippled with muscles as the beast fought, its glowing red eyes and white bone armor covering its large head, chest, and the backs of its arms.

The monster stood at least twenty-five feet tall and bellowed at its assailants. Standing a good forty feet ahead of its were a pair of huntresses that panted and tiredly held their weapons at their sides, various cuts and bruises covering their bodies. One of the huntresses was none other than Sera, dressed in a tattered red tank top, black jeans, and combat boots. She held a black and red great sword at her side that was nearly two feet shorter than her current one. A fresh cut was on her face, beginning above her eyebrow and ending an inch below her right eye. The other huntress was dressed in a white combat jacket with black trim, a black V-neck shirt, black combat pants and boots, and held a very old-fashioned shotgun with four large barrels in her hands. She had long black hair that was braided on the left side of her head, making it appear really short on that side. Her grey eyes glared at the Minotaur.

"This thing ain't going down." The one in white said, holding her side with one hand and the shotgun with the other.

"Speak for yourself, Val." Sera panted, a line of blood trickling down her face from the fresh cut.

"This isn't the time for jokes, Sera." Val said as the Minotaur drew closer and closer, its large hooves thundering against the pavement as it walked towards them menacingly.

"Who's joking? This thing's heading straight for Lindos. You know that village has even worse than this one." Sera replied and raised her sword.

"Yeah well, once more unto the breach, I guess." Val blew a stray strand of hair out of her face.

Sera cracked her neck and rolled her shoulders, then charged the beast. Val rolled her eyes and followed her, transforming her shotgun into a double-headed war axe and leapt towards the Minotaur. Sera gritted her teeth and did the same, raising her black and red sword to deliver a powerful blow to the Grimm's skull.

Val leapt onto the beast's shoulder and attempted to bury her axe into its neck, but it simply huffed and swatted the huntress off as if she were a bug annoying him. Its eyes bored into Sera as she flew towards it. She was its real target, and Sera seemed to piece that together by the way its been focusing only on her. Could it be because she was wearing red?

The white-head narrowed her eyes at the Grimm as she neared it, but far too late, she realized something was wrong. She and Val knew right away that this particular Grimm was far more intelligent than any they'd encountered before, but as Sera drew ever closer to it, she saw a dangerous light in its eyes.

The Minotaur reached its hand out and _caught_ Sera out of midair. She gritted her teeth and kicked, trying to free herself, but it was no use. The Minotaur seemed to laugh as its grip tightened around her waist and chest.

Sera screamed out in pain. Her aura was already dwindling, but as soon as the beast squeezed, it failed, meaning that she was susceptible to fatal damage.

As soon she felt her ribs begin to crack, a high-pitched squeaking sound came from Sera's mouth, the kind of sound a squeaky toy would make.

 _'What the-?!'_ Sera mentally exclaimed mentally. Even the Minotaur seemed surprised, raising an eyebrow in alarm.

Val appeared out of nowhere, blasting all four rounds from her shotgun into the side of its head. The Minotaur roared in pain and dropped Sera to the ground. She gasped and clutched her chest desperately and rolled onto her side.

Val yelled out as she transformed her shotgun into an axe and swung it into the Minotaur's chest, burying it in the white bone. The Grimm roared out in pain and grasped at its chest, attempting to pull the weapon out. However, Val was still holding on. The Grimm swung around, taking Val with it. She could only hang on for a small while until she was forced to let go and fly towards Sera. The black-haired huntress landed on the pavement and skidded across it, coincidentally ending up right beside Sera.

"How're ya now?" Sera groaned.

"Good, and you?" Val panted as she got to her feet.

"Not so bad." Sera groaned in pain.

"We're really screwed on this one, bud." Val said as she watched the Grimm try to pull the axe out of its chest.

Sera unsteadily got to her feet, leaning onto her sword for support. "Again?"

"Eh, why not?" Val shrugged.

The two then lunged at the Minotaur again. The Grimm saw this, however. It swung its open hand towards them with the momentum it had accumulated from spinning, trying to get the axe out. Val, being too injured and exhausted to evade, took the brunt of the blow, and flew directly through a brick wall.

"Val!" Sera exclaimed, then turned her attention back to her opponent. She gritted her teeth and swung her sword, cleaving one of its horns clean off.

Sera smirked as she landed, still clutching her chest. The Minotaur huffed angrily as it watched its horn fall to the ground, then it turned to the white-head. Sera's eyes widened slightly as the Minotaur _punched_ her head-on. Sera, being in an even worse state than Val, could do nothing but take the hit. Sera grunted in pain as she flew back and skidded across the pavement. Once she came to a halt, she could barely pick herself up. The Minotaur _strolled_ towards her until it stood directly in front of her. It raised its hoof above her head with a smug look on its face, and in spite of the situation, Sera let out a hoarse laugh.

"You look even stupider with the missing horn, Toro."

The Minotaur narrowed its eyes and brought its foot down, but was suddenly interrupted as a figure appeared from the side. Val shouted out as she leapt at the beast. But, without taking its eyes off of Sera, it caught her out of midair! Its large fist closed around her thin body. Val struggled uselessly against its grip, but the Minotaur quickly squeezed.

"NO!" Sera shouted. A loud crack could be heard from Val's body, and her body went limp, the life instantly draining from her eyes.

Sera's eyes widened as tears formed in them, then she screamed. A blast of purple energy emanated from her body, and the Minotaur flew several feet back and landed on its back. The beast quickly brought its head up to look at the huntress.

Sera was now standing on her feet, fists clenched and head hung low as she gazed at the body of her friend, tears streaming down her face and purple Aura visible around her body.

The Minotaur got to its feet and glared at the pre-amnesiac with its glowing eyes, then Sera looked up.

She glared directly into the beast's eyes furiously. Except something was different. Her irises were now glowing red like that of a Grimm, and the whites of her eyes were now black as midnight.

. . .

Sera woke with a start and quickly scanned her surroundings. She was still inside the airship.

"Kid, you alright? You look spooked." Qrow asked, and Sera's eyes settled on the huntsman.

"...I had a dream." Sera told him.

Qrow leaned forward. "Like a memory flashback dream or a _dream_ dream?"

"I-I'm not sure, to be honest. It was all so bizarre." Sera replied, images from said dream still fresh on her mind.

Qrow raised an eyebrow at her, then Sera sighed and began to retell the events of her recent dream. After a ten-minute explanation, Sera crossed her arms and looked at the huntsman in front of her expectantly. Qrow stared at her with wide eyes. He hadn't moved for nearly half the story. Without wasting a beat, he pulled out his flask, uncorked it, and took a _long_ drink.

 _'Well.'_ Qrow thought to himself. _'There may be more to this girl than we thought.'_

After corking his flask and putting it away, Qrow sighed and looked at the amnesiac. "Look kid, I'm glad you actually remembered something, but I have no idea what it means."

"You're saying this actually did happen, and that _I_ actually did that?" Sera asked warily. Qrow nodded gravely and looked down at his shoes.

"There were reports of a Minotaur terrorizing people in Vacuo about a year ago, and that it destroyed nearly a dozen villages until it was taken down. Now, I know your dream didn't finish, but I have a feeling that you're the one that made it kick the bucket, kid." He said to her in the same manner that he'd talk to Ruby or Yang.

Sera gulped and looked towards the front of the airship. "If that _really_ was me, then what was with my eyes? That's _not_ normal."

Qrow shrugged, "I dunno, Snowball. We'll have to figure it out later, cause the airship just went into hover mode."

 _'Meaning that we're about to land.'_ Sera concluded. She sighed and stood, grabbing her suitcase and weapon. When she stood, the gun belt around her waist caught Qrow's eye.

"What's the belt for?" he gestured to it.

Sera looked down at it sitting loosely around her waist, its large Omega buckle sitting slightly crooked and below her regular belt's buckle.

"Ozpin gave it to me along with this other stuff." Sera replied.

"What's the point of wearing a gun belt when you have no gun to put on it?" he raised an eyebrow. To which she replied, "I dunno, but it looks really cool." And gave a shrug. Qrow chuckled and stood, grabbing his sword.

The airship touched down in a forest clearing, not far from a small village. After Sera and Qrow hopped from the airship and onto the lush grass, the white-head slung her sword over her shoulder and looked over at Qrow.

"So do we even know where this thing is or...?"

"Nope. All we know is that its been attacking villages in this area. Gonna have to find it the old-fashioned way." Qrow responded.

Sera's shoulders slumped and she let out a groan. "But that's gonna take forever."

"Which is why this is going to take a while to accomplish. Welcome to actual huntsmen missions, kiddo." Qrow smirked.

"This sucks." Sera kicked the dirt as they walked towards the village.

"You'll get used to it."

"Doubtful." Sera looked sideways at the huntsman.

"Whatever kid let's just get to the village and start asking around. The sooner we get started, the sooner this can all end."

"Yeah, yeah I hear ya." Sera sighed and rolled her eyes.

. . .

They began by starting on the north end of the village and working their way down, asking anyone and everyone if they'd seen or heard anything about this Grimm. So far, they found nothing. Most of them hadn't even _known_ the creature was in the area. The most interesting thing happened when they started to ask around the market.

Sera had asked a young brunette woman if she'd encountered the Grimm, and her blue eyes filled with horror.

"You're her!" She exclaimed.

"Excuse me? Have we met?" Sera asked.

The woman took Sera's hand, holding with both of her own. "You saved my village from a Grimm in Vacuo! But that other poor girl..." Her eyes turned sad.

Sera's eyes widened slightly. She must've been talking about the village from Sera's dream. Hearing the sudden commotion, Qrow approached Sera and the woman.

"What's up, Sera?" Qrow asked, and the two women turned to look at him.

"Nothing Qrow. This woman's thanking me for saving that village. Remember? The one I _told_ you about?" Sera said, heavily hinting at the huntsman. His eyes widened slightly in realization. He seemed to be thinking the same thing Sera was: this is way too much of a coincidence.

"After you killed it, you just disappeared! We couldn't even thank you, or reward you for your efforts." The woman said.

"R-right. Well I apologize for that, I had some...urgent business to attend to." Sera lied.

"You are a huntress, after all. I...just wish that girl wasn't..." She said, then had to choke back a sob. Sera patted her shoulder, unsure of what else to do.

"I-it's quite alright. She didn't die in vain." Sera told her, and the woman nodded in response.

"Miss, I hate to ask, but have you seen or heard anything about another large Grimm in this area? Looks reptilian." Qrow interrupted. The woman held her chin with one hand in thought. "I-I think I remember some huntsmen coming through her a few weeks ago about hunting a reptilian Grimm. They were heading south, towards the ocean." She replied. Qrow nodded and shot Sera a quick glance. "Thank you very much, ma'am. We're hunting that creature as well, and we won't bother you any further." He said, then began to walk away from them.

After Qrow was a good twenty feet away, the woman turned to Sera with a worried look on her face. "Be careful with this one. I know you're a tough one from that fight before, but from what I can tell, a lot of huntsmen have tried to take this thing down." She told the huntress.

"Yeah. That's what I keep gettin' told." Sera sighed, then followed after Qrow.

"Good luck!" The brown-haired woman called after her. Sera simply put her hand up in a motionless wave as she walked after Qrow.

Sera jogged the rest of the way to catch up with the huntsman, who was weaving his way through the market area of the small village.

"So what now? She said that those huntsmen headed south to find this Grimm." Sera asked, lacing her fingers together and resting her hands behind her head.

"Now we find an inn, preferably with a bar." Qrow replied.

Sera raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Cause it's a long way to the next village south and it's already nearly sundown. Look." He pointed ahead of them, and sure enough, the sun was beginning to disappear over the horizon. "So we'd better find somewhere to stay for the night. Unless you wanna go Grimm hunting in the dark, of course."

"Fine. Let's find an inn." Sera huffed and returned her arms to her sides.

"Knew you'd see things my way, Snowball." Qrow chuckled.

"Oh, shut up." Sera replied and crossed her arms.

. . .

It didn't take long for the pair to locate an inn in such a small village, but unfortunately, the inn was also pretty small.

"So _now_ what?" Sera asked after Qrow paid for their rooms.

"Now, Snowball, I'm getting a drink." The huntsman replied, then made his way for the bar. Sera sighed and looked around the inside of the inn.

"Fine. I'll go make sure my gear's in top condition." Sera sighed and walked towards her rented room.

After unpacking a few of her things, Sera sat cross-legged on the twin-sized bed and sharpened Crimson Eclipse. Grinding a small whetstone along one edge of the blade, she groaned and looked outside the window and into the dark night. A sudden sound shook her from her thoughts. Sera looked over to see her scroll's screen lit with a notification on it. She picked up the small device and squinted to see the screen clearly in the dark room.

 _'A message from Ruby?'_ She mentally asked, then slapped her own forehead with her open palm. _'Stupid! How could I forget that I can still talk to them with my scroll?'_

With a groan, Sera unlocked her scroll and read the message.

 _"Hey Sera! We miss you already. Hope Uncle Qrow isn't driving you too crazy yet. Is the hunt going well?"_ Ruby's message read.

Sera quickly typed a reply. _"Miss you guys too! Qrow keeps trying to act up, but I put him in his place *laughing emoji*. No news on the hunt so far. Haven't even located it yet, but here's hoping for tomorrow."_ She hit send.

Within moments, her scroll dinged again.

 _"We know you'll find it and take it out with no problems! Weiss won't shut up about it being late and us having class tomorrow, so goodnight! Keep in contact!"_

Sera smirked and set her sword down. _"Goodnight, Rubes. Promise to give you and the team updates. Tell the others I said hi!"_ Sera then sheathed her sword and set it near the bed, then shrugged off her combat clothing and changed into a clean purple tank top and a pair of white pajama pants with purple flowers decorating the garments. The amnesiac stretched her arms out wide and gave a big yawn, then leapt into the bed and immediately covered herself with blankets in one fluid motion.

She unlocked her scroll and pulled up her music playlist with a tired smirk on her lips. After picking out a song to listen to while she drifted off to sleep, Sera hit 'play' and set the scroll on the nightstand beside the bed.

 _'I'd never hear the end of it if Qrow knew I liked this song.'_ Sera thought to herself, then allowed her eyes to flutter closed.

 _ **(Song is Snow by Red Hot Chili Peppers)**_


	5. Wish You Were Here

Memory flashes of fighting and screaming filled Sera's dreams that night. She saw the body of her forgotten friend, Val, crumple to the ground after the Minotaur Grimm was done with her, her old teammates running through the forest from an army of Grimm, the fight against the giant Deathstalker, and images of team RWBY also appeared. All of them laughing and having a good time in classes, the time she and Nora fought each other in Port's, then finally Yang embracing Sera in the locker room just before she left with Qrow. But what woke her up and caused her to sit up immediately in her bed was the scene of seeing herself open her eyes to reveal glowing red irises and the whites of said eyes turned black.

Sera groaned and looked over to her blinking scroll to stop her music playlist. The song _Sweet Dreams_ (Marilyn Manson cover) was playing through the device's small speakers.

"Jeez, has that thing been playing all night?" a voice asked. Sera jumped and reached for her sword, only to see that Qrow was leaning against the wall of the room.

"What the hell, old man?! Have you been standing there watching me sleep?" Sera asked incredulously.

"Easy, kid. I only came up here a few minutes ago to wake you up, but you were shifting and mumbling in your sleep. None of it made much sense, though. Said something about bulls, hugs, and red eyes."

Sera sighed and looked at her scroll for the time. Seven-thirty-two.

"I like listening to music to help me sleep." She looked over at him, deciding to address the first thing he said to her rather than the rest.

"How many friggin' songs are on that thing?" Qrow raised an eyebrow.

"More than a reasonable amount." Sera smirked and got out of bed, adjusting her purple tank top to look half-decent.

"I'll let you get dressed. We got lots of walking ahead of us." Qrow said to her as he exited the inn room.

"Don't remind me." Sera sighed after the door closed.

After nearly twenty minutes, Sera stepped out of her rented room to take on the day. She'd showered and dressed herself in her usual outfit, her white jacket, jeans, a fresh purple tank top, a purple belt, and her leather gun belt. After exiting the room with her sword and suitcase in tow, she went downstairs to find Qrow sitting at a small table, pouring brown liquid from his flask into a mug of steaming coffee.

The Beacon student rolled her eyes at his alcoholism, but still sat across from him at the table.

"Hey," He said and took a sip of his concoction.

"Sup," Sera replied and pulled a glass bottle of People Like Grapes soda out of her suitcase. The deep purple liquid would surely be warm, but she didn't care. Qrow raised an eyebrow at the action but said nothing. He wouldn't hear the end of it if he did.

"So, what I'm thinking is that we head towards that village and search for tracks and signs of the Grimm both along the way and around said village. With a little luck, we'll find something." Qrow explained, then chuckled to himself at the irony of his final statement. He knew full well what his semblance was.

"Yeah if only we had some sort of brightly lit fireflies that would lead us directly to the thing after finding some of its footprints or something." Sera rolled her eyes as he propped her elbow up on the table and rested her chin on her open palm.

"…What?"

"Nothing. Just thinking out loud." Sera replied, but her idea would be nice to have.

"All right, then. Well we don't have any magic tracking fireflies, so we have to do this the old-fashioned way." Qrow told her.

"Yeah, yeah." Sera replied and finally popped the cap on her soda by pressing it against the edge of the table and slamming her palm onto the top. Qrow blinked at her nonchalance and continued, "So, if we head out now, we should reach the village by noon."

"Can't we just, like, hijack a truck? Don't huntsmen do that sort of stuff if they need to?" She asked, clearly not excited about their hike.

"No, we can't. There aren't any around here." Qrow replied with a smirk.

"Fine. But this suitcase is going to be hell to carry through all that," Sera sighed and motioned towards it.

"Get used to it, kiddo. That's why I always only carry my weapon and the clothes on my back." Qrow said.

"Yeah, and your friggin' flask." Sera mumbled to herself. Qrow ignored her.

"So, let's head out. The sooner we kill it, the sooner you can get back to Vale and fight in the tournament. And see your team." He said as he slapped the table with one hand and stood.

Sera finished off her grape soda and tossed the empty bottle behind her head, the glass container exploding against the wall behind her.

"Hey!" a waitress exclaimed.

"Let's get going, then." Sera smiled and grabbed her stuff before following Qrow out of the inn.

. . .

"This sucks." Sera groaned as she dragged her feet along the narrow pathway of a road. Qrow sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets. "We've only been walking for four hours. It's not that bad." He told her.

"And it's taking way too long!" She sighed. The sun was beating down on their shoulders and the temperature was way too hot for this time of year. With a quick roll of her eyes, Sera stripped her white jacket off and shoved it into her suitcase before continuing down the path.

"This is nothing compared to past missions I've been on." Qrow said in that way that adults do when dealing with whiny teens.

"Oh yeah? Did you have to march through a desert while running from an army of Beowolves or something?" She turned her head to the huntsman. With a smirk, Qrow replied, "Actually, funny story, I—"

"Just kidding, I don't give a fuck." Sera deadpanned.

"…People don't enjoy being around you much, do they?" Qrow raised an eyebrow.

"Generally? Not really, no. That's why I like your nieces so much." Sera replied, smiling to herself at the memories she's made with teams RWBY and JNPR.

"For what? Putting up with you?" He asked.

"For sticking around after meeting me." Sera said with a hint of sadness. She wasn't quite sure where this was coming from, since the only people she's met since waking up in Forever Fall have proved to be good people and better friends, save for several unnamed people around Beacon. But she said it as if she's had experience with people leaving. _"Maybe that's part of my… My old life."_ She thought to herself.

"Kid, you're depressing me. Better cheer up fast or I'm gonna off myself before this Grimm gets the chance." Qrow chuckled.

"Not if I kill you first, old man." Sera smiled.

"Good luck with that, Snowball."

Sera lightly punched the huntsman's shoulder, taking care to not send him flying with her apparent Nora-rivalling strength.

"How much more walking? You said we'd get there by noon earlier." Sera asked. Qrow checked his scroll, looking at a digital map and the device's clock. "Well it's almost eleven now, and if this map is accurate, we should be relatively close. I say possibly right at noon, maybe later." Sera nodded and kicked a rock down the dirt path.

"That sword treating you alright?" Qrow asked, eyeing the crimson blade on her back. Sera glanced behind her to look at the pommel and nodded, "Very well, actually. It's balanced just right, and I like the tricks it can do." She said with a cheeky grin.

"Good, good. I dunno if Oz told you or not, but that weapon is actually of my own design." Qrow said. Sera narrowed her eyes at him, "Bullshit. I doubt that ancient brain of yours can cook up original ideas anymore."

"It's true," Qrow told her, apparently offended by her comment. "You haven't seen all the things this can do, have you?" He asked, pulling out his own large sword for her to see. She shook her head in response and Qrow smirked, "Good, you'll get a live demonstration soon."

Sera raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "Whatever you say, old man. Just don't get angry when I kill it before you can whip out your little sword." She told him while she put a pair of purple earbuds into her ears and pulled out her scroll to choose a song. Qrow started to reply, but Sera didn't hear it. She'd already clicked what she wanted to listen to while they walked.

" _We better find this thing fast or I'm gonna lose it. Everyone knows Ruby and the others can't win a fight unless they have my charming self at their side."_ She smirked to herself and thought of her friends back at Beacon as a slow guitar tune played from her earbuds. (Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd).

After several minutes of walking and a few songs playing, Qrow tapped her shoulder and Sera took an earbud out to listen to the huntsman.

"You sure have been listening to music more frequently recently. What's up with that?" He asked. Sera smirked, "It relaxes me. Plus, it's better to listen to good music rather than listen to you talk nonsense some more."

"Oh yeah? Let's see what we're dealing with here," Qrow said and placed the earbud Sera had removed into his own ear. An extremely fast-paced electric guitar solo played in his ear and made Qrow recoil at the volume and intensity of the music. _"That_ relaxes you?" He asked as he removed the earbud. She snatched it back and returned it to her own ear and closed her eyes momentarily, "More than you are right now."

Qrow rolled his eyes and shoved his hands into his pockets again. _"Teenagers,"_ He sighed to himself.

. . .

Just like Qrow said, it took another half hour to get to their destination. Sera played music through her earbuds and generally ignored the huntsman the entire time, trying to save herself from the surefire snark and sarcasm from him.

Whenever they entered the village, they saw an old wooden sign that revealed its name: Etna. Sera pulled her earbuds out and rested them on her shoulders, raising an eyebrow at the small expanse of tiny wooden houses before them. "You sure this is the right place?" She asked.

"Positive," Qrow replied and pointed his index finger to their left. Pained moans and whimpers could be heard from a wooden building with a medical caduceus above the doorway. The symbol looked like a pair of twin snakes coiled around a tall staff, the serpents facing each other with open mouths and visible fangs.

"Injured people?" Sera asked, but Qrow didn't answer. Instead, he marched towards the building with a determined look in his eyes. The huntress rolled her eyes and checked her scroll. No messages from her friends since they left the last village. She pocketed the device and followed Qrow.

After a quick survey of the building, they deduced that these people were hurt by their target. They had large bite wounds on their limbs and torsos and some people appeared as if part of them had simply melted off. Sera immediately remembered that Qrow had said something about this Grimm being able to spit acid or something. _"Great,"_ She mentally sighed. _"This thing can literally melt our faces off."_

They tried questioning a few of them, but nearly no one would answer. But one man did say that he recently saw a huntsman fighting the beast. He told them that this huntsman had cut off its heads multiple times, but it didn't die. In fact, it seemed to only make it more dangerous.

"Wait, 'heads'? Plural? Qrow, what the hell are we fighting?" Sera asked, now worried for her own health.

Qrow sighed, "A Hydra. Large, fast, spits acid. Cut off one head, two more grow back."

"You what?"

"Don't worry, Snowball. With the two of us, it doesn't stand a chance," Qrow smirked and ruffled her hair, much to her annoyance.

"That's what the last guy said," the injured villager mumbled then limped away.

"Eh, don't worry about that guy. Besides, _I_ know how we're going to kill it." Qrow grinned and hooked a thumb towards his own chest.

"Oh yeah, tough guy? How're you gonna do that?" Sera crossed her arms.

"I think you mean 'how am _I_ gonna do that'," Qrow grinned wider and walked out of the makeshift infirmary house.

"What does _that_ mean—Hey don't walk away from me!" Sera exclaimed and went after the huntsman.

. . .

"This is a really stupid idea." Sera whispered.

"Relax, it'll work." Qrow whispered back. The two of them were currently hiding in some large bushes and waiting for their target to appear. In the middle of the clearing before them, Qrow placed a large slab of raw meat to use as bait.

"What if it doesn't show?" she asked.

"It will. Just give it time. Trust me, the bait meat never fails." Qrow promised.

"You should've left the planning to me," Sera sighed.

"Oh yeah? What would you plan have been? Run up to it and hit it till it dies?"

"…Shut it."

Then they heard the sounds of leaves crunching under something very heavy. Qrow's eyes widened slightly, "Shh, you hear that?" Sera listened for a moment, then they saw it. Her violet eyes widened at the sight of the creature. The smell of sourness burned her nose and she had to make an effort to not gag. The beast was easily eighty feet long from head(s) to tail and at least thirty feet tall. Its body was pitch black like all Grimm and four thick legs supported its heavy weight. The end of its tail was barbed and spiky for swinging, and instead of a head, it had six. Six heads that looked similar to a King Taijitu's, except each head had a pair of horns and had rows of shark teeth rather than fangs. White bone armor covered all of its heads, the fronts of its legs, its chest, and the back of its long tail. Its six heads writhed about as it sniffed the meat before it.

" _That's_ what we have to fight?!" Sera said under her breath. "It's huge!"

"Yeah. Get ready, it looks like it's taking the bait." Qrow said and readied his weapon. Sera rolled her eyes and wrapped a hand around the hilt of her sword. As if on cue, the reptilian heads of the Hydra began ripping apart the meat and sending it down their respective gullets. But before it could even finish its newfound meal, Qrow shouted, "Now!" And charged out of the bushes.

"Stupid fuckin' plan," Sera groaned and followed him. The Hydra had been preoccupied with its snack, so it no time to recover as Qrow and Sera slashed each of their swords across its side. All six heads of the Grimm roared and turned to face its attackers, its long necks turning to look beside it.

"So what now?" Sera asked and raised her sword.

"Basically, hit it till it dies," Qrow smirked, earning a glare from the huntress. Then Qrow's eyes widened and he shouted, "Kid, watch out!"

Sera turned just in time to see a blob of sickly purple liquid flying towards her. She instinctively rolled to avoid it and heard the sound of it splashing against something followed by the smell of something sour and burning. Sera turned her head to see a tree literally melting where the acid hit it, then the tree promptly fell over and crashed into the forest floor.

Qrow sliced his sword across the Hydra's side again to draw its attention. It worked. He was forced to jump backwards to avoid the spiked tail that flew towards him at an alarming speed.

Sera gritted her teeth and charged the Grimm, sword raised. While it was distracted by Qrow, she swung her weapon at one of its front legs. Sparks flew as her sword came into contact with its scaly leg, causing Sera to recoil and leap back before it could attack her. She blinked as she processed what happened.

"The scales on its legs are too tough to cut through!" She shouted at Qrow.

"I know!" He said as he dodged its tail again. "Why do you think I was going for its body?"

"That would've been nice to know beforehand!" She said rather angrily.

"Semantics!" Qrow replied and tried to block the tail with the flat of his blade. It barely worked. The tail sent the elder huntsman flying into a tree and crumpling to the ground.

" _I know his aura didn't give out that quickly,"_ Sera thought to herself as she transformed her sword into its rifle form. After firing several rounds into its hide, she was forced to dodge two of the Grimm's heads that snapped at her, but she was able to slam the stock of her rifle into one of them. That head hissed in pain and glared at her. The Hydra then turned its entire body to face her, all six heads focused on a single target. Then, the head in the center opened his maw to show flames forming in the back of its throat.

"Uh-oh." Sera thought aloud, then immediately hit the deck. Flames shot out of its mouth at such a velocity that one would think the fire was being shot from a firehose. After the flames died down, Sera looked up to see that the grass and a few trees behind her were aflame. "It can breathe fire?!" Sera shouted as she got to her feet and rushed the monster.

"…Did I forget to mention that?" Qrow groaned and got to his feet, finally.

"A LITTLE!" Sera yelled and leapt towards the Grimm, transforming her weapon back into a sword and aiming for the head that shot flames at her. Qrow's eyes widened when he realized what she was about to do. "Snowball, wait!"

But it was too late, she'd already swung, and a sickening _'shlick!'_ could be heard. Then Sera remembered something Qrow had said back at the infirmary. _"Cut off one head, two more grow back."_

" _Uh-oh,"_ She thought to herself. Sera landed and immediately turned to see two heads already growing back from the stump of the original. In the blink of an eye, the two heads were already grown and hissing at her. Before she could attack it again, Qrow jumped out of nowhere and slammed the beast in its side with his sword, then jumped back and landed next to Sera.

"What'd I tell you about cutting off its heads?" He demanded.

"Oh, shut up and attack it," Sera responded. Qrow tightened his jaw and clicked a button on his sword's hilt. The weapon expanded and transformed, its blade popping apart and curving until he held a long scythe in his hands. Sera raised an eyebrow at the weapon and Qrow shrugged his shoulders. "What? Who do you think taught Ruby how to fight?"

Sera rolled her eyes and was about to turn back to the Hydra Grimm, but she suddenly felt something large and thick slam her aside. _"Tail!"_ She gritted her teeth as she slid across the grass, digging a shallow trench in the ground, and eventually came to a halt. Sera sat up and glared at the Hydra that Qrow was now preoccupied with fighting. She immediately got to her feet and sprinted towards the Grimm, the tip of her sword near the ground as she carried it with one hand.

"One lizard-kebab, coming right up!" She shouted as she leapt into the air and descended upon the creature's back, plunging the entire blade of her weapon into it. The Grimm screeched in pain and writhed its body, throwing Sera free of it before she could pull her weapon out. Sera regained her balance in midair and landed next to Qrow.

"Lose your weapon?" He asked. Sera shot him a glare, "Yeah. Mind if I borrow yours?" Qrow then glanced down at the scythe in his hands, "Not a chance, Snowball." The young huntress shrugged, "Eh, worth a shot."

The Hydra continued to recoil in pain while its heads writhed about like a mess of noodles as it tried to get the crimson sword out of its back.

"After you," Qrow gestured at the Grimm with his scythe.

"Age before beauty," Sera mimicked his gesture. Qrow rolled his eyes and ran towards the Grimm. Sera grinned and followed him; her fists clenched tightly. The huntsman jumped at it once again with the intention of slicing his scythe across its back, but the Hydra had other plans. The beast roared at him and all its heads launched towards him at a frightening speed. Qrow's eyes widened and he was forced to avoid the attacks by kicking the nearest head's face and launching himself into the sky.

Sera glanced up to see Qrow positioning himself to bring a massive downward swing with his scythe. While the Hydra was distracted, she jumped onto the Grimm's hind leg and ran up it until she finally reached its back. Before the Hydra could even realize what she was doing, the amnesiac smirked and ran to the base of its long necks, deciding to not retrieve her sword just yet. _"Probably better to not risk cutting off any more heads,"_ She thought to herself and jumped several feet into the air, bringing down her foot to kick the Grimm between the shoulders.

All seven pairs of eyes widened when the Hydra felt something land a hit on its back. Sera smirked when she heard a deep cracking sound and felt the familiar sensation of bones crunching. She then leapt back before one of the multiple heads could attack her and wrapped both hands around the hilt of her sword. The Hydra tried to shake her off and trampled around, its deafening screeching making Sera want to cover her ears. Then before she could wonder where Qrow went, she heard the sound of metal cutting into flesh and the screeching came to an abrupt halt.

" _He didn't,"_ Sera's eyes widened, and her head whipped around to see Qrow land beside her, the Hydra's multiple heads falling to the ground.

"What did you _do?"_ Sera demanded.

"You couldn't hear me over the sound, now listen! We have to use fire once we decapitate it. It's the only way to kill it for good, unless you have a big friggin' cannon in that suitcase," He told her quickly.

"Why didn't you do it just now?" Sera asked.

"Do I look like I have any fire?" He asked rhetorically.

"No," Sera sighed and yanked her sword free from the Hydra's back. Its heads were almost fully grown now, all fourteen of them.

"I know what that sword can do," Qrow said to her and pointed at her weapon. "Now get to it before this thing gets the chance to really fight back!" He said as his sword transformed into a sword again. She rolled her eyes and twirled her sword in her hand. Fourteen reptilian heads turned to the two of them and roared.

"Couldn't you have told me how to kill it before we started fighting it?" Sera glanced at Qrow, ultimately ignoring the beast they were standing on.

"I'mma be honest, I didn't remember how until a few moments ago," Qrow responded and dodged a head that lunged at him. Sera sighed as she nonchalantly pulled a red Dust crystal out of her pocket and popped it into the hilt of her sword. Several of the Hydra's heads had launched at her while she did this, but the huntress simply sidestepped the attacks or hopped over the heads once they got too close for comfort. Once the Dust was loaded and her sword was ready, she smirked and sidestepped another large Hydra head, opting to kick the thing as hard as she could just before jumping off of the beast's back. The head she kicked made a deep groaning sound and retreated. As soon as Sera's feet touched the grass, she clicked a button on her sword's hilt and swung. In mid-swing, the blade erupted in green flame just before it sliced into the Hydra's front leg. She theorized that the fire Dust would help cut through the Grimm's armored legs, and she was right.

In no time at all, her sword cleaved through the scaly black leg and the heavy limb crashed to the ground. While the Hydra screeched in pain and at the loss of its leg, Sera glanced at the bright-green flames that blazed from her sword. Before she could wonder why the fire was such a color, she was forced to dodge the Hydra's large tail and jump back to get some elbow room.

"Not bad, Snowball!" Qrow shouted while he tried to keep the Grimm's focus on him. Glancing between the Hydra and its severed leg, an idea formulated in the young huntress's mind. "I have a plan!" She shouted and ran for its remaining front leg. Just as she reached the large Grimm, she hit the dirt and slid under the beast like a baseball player reaching home plate. In mid-slide, Sera stuck her sword into the air and sliced into the creature's less-armored underbelly. Black blood fell from the long cut and spilled to the grass, but Sera was already on her feet and right beside her target. She swung her sword with both hands, slicing its other leg clean off with the help of the flame Dust. The Grimm roared extremely loudly as its front end crashed to the ground. Its long tail whipped around violently, trying to hit one of its opponents.

"Oh, I get it!" Qrow shouted and used the flat of his sword to knock aside one of the Hydra's heads.

"Took you long enough!" Sera smirked and ran to the Grimm's back end. Before she could even attempt severing one of its back legs, its spiked tail flew out of nowhere and hit the huntress square in the chest. With a pained grunt, she flew back and directly _through_ a particularly large tree. _"I swear if that tail hits me_ again, _we're gonna be having Hydra barbecue for months,"_ She thought to herself as she picked herself off the ground. Her purple aura was visibly flickering, but it held. If not for her aura, she'd be a goner.

Qrow gritted his teeth. He'd only heard something being hit followed by the sound of wood splintering, but he kept his focus on the fourteen fanged heads desperately trying to kill him. Sera may have rendered it partially immobile, but this thing still had a ton of fight left in it. The Hydra's multiple glowing red eyes bored into the huntsman as he knocked aside its heads with his sword or simply dodged, but not even Qrow could keep this up forever.

Sera spit the dirt out of her mouth and gritted her teeth. Her sword had run out of Dust just after she was hit, so she pulled another crystal out of her pocket. This one was white and cool to the touch, like an ice cube. She popped the Dust into her weapon and grinned as frost formed along her sword's blade and cool mist emanated from it. She ran full speed at the Hydra while it was distracted, reaching the beast in mere seconds and plunging the tip of her sword into the base of its tail. The Grimm roared with all its heads as its tail froze in seconds, turning to pure ice as if the appendage was dipped into nitroglycerin.

Sera smirked and pulled her sword out, proceeding to deliver a powerful bicycle kick to the tail. It shattered on contact, the broken ice raining to the ground and effectively severing the tail.

"Now," Sera said aloud as she popped out the ice Dust crystal and slid in a red one. "Back to business."

In just two extremely precise swings, she severed the Hydra's hind legs and caused its legless body to fall to the ground, immobile. Qrow jumped just out of the Hydra's heads' range and took a deep breath. "Finally," He shouted to Sera, who was casually walking around the Grimm and to its front end. "Oh, _I'm_ sorry. It's not like I was hit through a tree or anything!" She responded, her flaming sword at her side. Qrow smirked and rested his own sword onto his shoulder, "Just kill this thing already so we can go home."

Sera stopped and stood in front of the Hydra. Its fourteen heads roared directly into her face. She was standing just out of range of its long necks, so the reptilian heads were mere inches from her. "With pleasure," She grinned and leapt over its heads and onto its back. With a quick smirk, she said, "Heads up," and swung her sword downward, effectively slicing all fourteen of its heads off at the base of their necks. Without wasting a breath, she jumped down and stabbed her flaming sword into the middle of its necks for good measure. The Grimm dissipated into shadow and faded, leaving nothing to remain. With a heavy sigh, Sera turned to Qrow and rested Crimson Eclipse onto her shoulder. After she turned the flames off, of course.

"Now," She grinned at the elder huntsman. "Lunch?"

Qrow and Sera returned to the small village, Etna, and called in for airship pickup. After making another call on the flight home to whoever put the price on the Grimm's head, the two were immediately wired their Lien reward, much to Sera's delight.

"There," Qrow said as he pocketed his scroll with a smirk. "Fifteen-thousand Lien for each of us."

Sera's jaw dropped, "Someone put thirty-thousand on that thing?"

"You'd be surprised how much someone would pay for peace of mind."

"Wait, I thought this was like some sort of official mission from Ozpin." Sera raised an eyebrow.

"It was, but it was also a kill contract. How do you think we huntsmen make a living?" Qrow asked.

"…You raise a good point." Sera replied.

Qrow chuckled in response and sat back in his seat. The hum of the airship's engines was welcomed by each of them. It meant they were finished being in the field. For now.

"So," Qrow said to Sera. "Today's the day of the Vytal Festival, and its already around three. Seems we might've missed most of the first round."

Sera groaned and slumped her shoulders, "Pilot, can we go any faster?!" She picked her head up and shouted.

Sitting in the pilot's seat, the man grinned and pressed a red button on the controls. "Right away, ma'am," He said, and the airship shot across the sky like a cannon.

. . .

Team RWBY and JNPR were done with their first round of the Vytal Festival. In fact, by time Qrow and Sera even reached Vale, all tournament activities were finished for the day. The doubles rounds would start up on the following day. The two returning huntsmen decided to go straight to Beacon and report to Ozpin regarding their completed mission and Sera's recent dreams. They were walking up the sidewalk towards Beacon Tower when Qrow spotted an armed escort in front of them. And who was being escorted? None other than Winter Schnee, Weiss's older sister.

Qrow smirked and tapped Sera's shoulder, "Watch this." Qrow then ran towards the Atlesian robot soldiers and yanked the two in the rear back, tearing them to pieces in seconds. Sera rolled her eyes and hefted her sword. She might need it now. It seems that they're about to commit some form of felony.

"Hey, you," Qrow said, gaining the attention of Winter. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of the grinning drunkard. "That was Atlas military property, Qrow," She glared. Qrow glanced at the remains of the robots on the concrete and put on a faked apologetic expression, "Oh, oh, I'm sorry," He said.

A girl wearing a black beret and sunglasses approached Sera, standing beside her with her arms crossed as they both watched the proceeding confrontation. Sera recognized her as Coco Adel, the leader of team CFVY.

"You know that guy?" she asked. Sera glanced over at her and rested her sword on her right shoulder, "Unfortunately. That's Ruby and Yang's uncle," She responded. Her eyes analyzed white-haired woman in the military uniform with a critical expression, "And by the looks of her, I'm guessing she's Weiss's big sis."

"I was thinking the same. Do all Schnees have an aura of pure bitchiness and a superiority complex around them?" Coco asked.

"Well I've seen two of them now, so I think it's safe to say that their whole family is like this," Sera smirked.

Then something changed. Winter drew her thin-bladed sword and lunged at Qrow, who easily avoided the swift thrusts towards his head. Sera rolled her eyes as he brought out his own sword and toyed with the Schnee. "I'd better break this up," Sera told the older student. "Understood. See ya around, Snowball," Coco smirked and turned around, waving as she walked towards the main complex of campus. Sera sighed, _"I'm gonna kill Yang for telling everyone about that,"_ Then walked into the middle of the circle that was formed around Qrow and Winter by dozens of students. The two were full-on dueling now, each of them moving at unbelievable speeds as their two swords clashed repeatedly.

"Hey, hey! Break it up you two—" Sera began, but she was interrupted when a thin sword came out of nowhere and knocked her aside. The strike was meant for Qrow and she'd walked directly in the way. Then again, how was she supposed to know? She could barely see the two of them zipping around trying to kill each other.

"Stay out of the way, girl!" Winter shouted as she blocked a swing from Qrow's sword.

Sera got to one knee and smirked, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, "Oh, _that's_ it." She then ran at the Schnee while she was preoccupied fighting Qrow. Sera swung her sword at Winter and almost caught her in the back, but the woman's small sword appeared out of nowhere and blocked the strike. Sera smirked and dropped to the ground, bringing up both of her legs and drop kicking her into Qrow's sword swing. Winter was knocked aside and rolled across the ground. But in no time at all, she was back on her feet and Sera barely managed to bring her sword up in time to deflect her strike.

Winter locked eyes with Sera, blue eyes meeting violet. "I said _stay out of the way,"_ She gritted her perfect white teeth. Sera grinned, "You kidding? This party's just getting started!" She brought her elbow and dislodged her sword from Winter's, then proceeded to send out a flurry of precise stabs in the Schnee's direction.

"UNCLE QROW!" a familiar high-pitched voice cried out as Ruby tackled Qrow to the ground and out of the fight. "YOU'RE BACK!"

"Hey there, Ace," Qrow grinned, momentarily forgetting the fight and ruffling his niece's hair. "You mind getting off me so I can finish this fight I instigated?"

"Nah. Sera can handle it!" Ruby grinned up at Qrow.

"I doubt that very much."

"Yeah. Kick her butt, Sera!" Ruby suddenly got to her feet and shouted at her teammate.

"Trying!" Sera shouted back and evaded another stab from Winter. The fight was going horribly. Winter was obviously far more experienced than her and had almost won several times, if not for the amnesiac's unpredictable fighting style.

" _This is going nowhere fast. I have to find a way to quickly end this. I can't make myself look bad in front of all these people, it'd destroy my rep!"_ Sera thought to herself, and with that thought in mind, she got an idea. She'd play dirty.

Sera caught Winter's sword blade with her own, knocking the weapon aside and taking the chance to elbow her in the face. Winter stumbled back and Sera capitalized on the opportunity she was given. She swept her legs out from under her and pointed Crimson Eclipse's tip in her face before she could get up. Sera smirked down at her, her chest heaving from the fight.

"Schnee!" a deep voice shouted. Winter's eyes widened. Sera smirked, "Busted," Then she lowered her sword and returned to Qrow's side. Ruby immediately wrapped her small arms around Sera and squeezed the life out of her.

"Sera! I'm glad you're back!" she smiled.

"Yeah I'm glad to see you too—Ow! Ribs, Ruby, the ribs." Sera winced, then the younger girl finally released her. While General Ironwood conversed with Winter and Qrow, Ruby's silver eyes suddenly widened in realization, "Sera! You missed the first match!"

Sera smiled awkwardly and rubbed the back of her neck with one hand, "Sorry bout that, Rubes. We tried to get here as fast as we could."

"Eh, don't worry about it. You can always watch it later on someone's scroll."

Weiss appeared out of nowhere just after Winter was led away by General Ironwood. "C'mon, kid," Qrow sighed and followed the two. Sera rolled her eyes and slung her sword over her back, _"Of course I get wrapped up in it. Then again, I did kinda join the fight… Kicked that chick's butt, too."_

"Alright. See you guys later," Sera told Ruby and Weiss. Weiss eyed her critically and crossed her arms, "I'll reprimand you later for what you just did to my sister," She told the amnesiac. Sera was about to retort but Weiss continued talking, "But I am glad you're back."

Sera's eyes widened slightly, and she broke into a grin, "I knew you couldn't be heartless forever!"

"And you ruined it," Weiss sighed and spun on her heel, leaving them. Ruby gave a small wave and chased after the heiress. Sera smirked and grabbed her suitcase from where she'd left it, going in the direction that Qrow and the others went.

After she caught up with the three of them, they all went to Beacon Tower together and rode the elevator up to Ozpin's office where the headmaster was surely waiting. Ozpin, Ironwood, Goodwitch, Winter Schnee, and Qrow seemed to be in an intense argument for a while, but they soon lost Sera's interest not long into the conversation. She bounced on her heels and got lost in her own thoughts while they talked. Listening to music was considered, but Sera decided that it wasn't worth the look that Goodwitch shot her as she was pulling out her purple earphones.

Sera was honestly about to fall asleep and without a doubt fall to the floor, but then she heard her name and perked up. "Huh? Talkin' about me?" She asked.

Qrow chuckled and shook his head while Winter and Glynda glared at her. "Were you not listening to anything we just discussed?" Winter asked.

"I usually tune out conversations that include stuck-up knobs like you," Sera shot back. Ozpin's eyes widened at her insult and Winter looked like she was about to skewer the student.

"Ahem," Ozpin interrupted. "Qrow was just telling us about these recent dreams of yours. Care to elaborate?" Sera turned her attention to the headmaster with a relatively polite expression as compared to the daggers she was glaring at Winter. "Sure, Professor," Sera told him, her voice filled with utmost respect towards him. She then went on to explain her dreams regarding the fight against the Minotaur Grimm but decided to leave out the other stuff with her team and friends. After her retelling of the battle, their expressions said it all. Everyone but Qrow had looks of confusion, wonder, and fear.

"So," Ironwood broke the silence. "You're the one who put a stop to that particular Grimm. I'd heard that a pair of young huntresses had fought it in that village, but to think it was you all along." Sera smirked and crossed her arms. She was under the impression that he was impressed, but James Ironwood was more concerned about her true origins. What she said about her eyes changing was absolutely unheard of. There was a number of huntsman and huntresses whose irises could change color, but this was different.

"What about the end of it, the matter of your eyes?" Ozpin asked calmly. Sera shrugged in response, "I've no idea. You probably have a better clue about it than I do." Ozpin shot Qrow a look and the huntsman gave a curt nod in response.

"How was the hunting mission?" Ozpin asked, changing the subject. He'd have to have a more in-depth conversation with Qrow about this matter later.

"Piece of cake. Had to save the old man a few times. Right, Bird Brain?" Sera grinned and looked at Qrow. "Hey, it would've been dead a lot sooner if you weren't the one with the fire weapon."

"Whatever helps you sleep a night." Sera smiled and crossed her arms.

"Right. Well, I'm sure you're tired and ready to return to your room after such an excursion. You're dismissed," Ozpin said kindly. Sera nodded in a slight bow and winked at Winter Schnee before turning around and heading for the door.

"Insufferable," Winter grumbled.

"That's what your sister says," Sera called out after she exited the room. Once the door closed, Ozpin turned to Qrow with a bit of a distressed expression. "Now, about that girl…"

. . .

Sera smiled and knocked on the door of her dorm room. Immediately, she heard a high-pitched voice say, "I'll get it!" Then the door opened to reveal Ruby standing there.

"Finally!" She smiled and stepped aside. Sera entered the room and grinned. Her whole team was there. Blake was sitting atop her bed reading, like usual. Weiss was sitting at her desk studying, like usual. Then Yang hopped off her bunk and approached Sera and Ruby. "Took you long enough," She grinned.

"Had to deal with a certain heiress' big sister," Sera smirked.

"Heard that," Weiss said without picking her head up.

"I know," Sera smiled. "You shoulda seen it, Yang. There was nothing she could do against the might that is me—"

"Winter had her against the ropes for the whole fight until Sera pulled something dirty and elbowed her in the face," Blake said without taking her eyes off her book.

"How did you even know? Who's side are you even on?" Sera grumbled and crossed her arms.

"Ruby recorded it and showed us."

"Naturally," Sera sighed.

"Didn't wanna rain on your parade. Wanted to hear you talk about it," Yang said to her. "Now! How was the mission?"

"Yeah! I wanna hear every detail!" Ruby said excitedly. Sera grinned, "Well it all started when that jackass uncle of yours said he had a plan…" She went on to explain the details of their fight against the large Hydra Grimm. By the time she was finished, Sera stood proudly. Her fists rested on her hips with a pleased smile on her face. Team RWBY was sitting on the floor of their room sitting crisscross applesauce.

"…That's it?" Weiss asked after a moment.

"Whaddya mean 'that's it'? That was awesome!" Ruby smiled and leapt into the air. " _Thank_ you, Rubes. I knew I could count on you," Sera grinned and gave Ruby a high five. It was Blake's turn to speak up, "That did sound like a tough fight, especially since the thing has the ability to regrow heads. I've never heard of anything like that happening." Sera nodded at her, "It was pretty annoying. Especially its tail," She rolled her eyes at the memory of being hit twice by the spiked appendage.

"Couldn't you just have, I dunno, punched it?" Yang shrugged. Sera turned her violet eyes to the brawler, "Could've, but what's the fun in just punching everything? Gotta mix things up a little."

"You're asking _me_ what the fun is in punching everything?" Yang asked.

" _Some_ people like to take a more strategic and intelligent path in a fight," Weiss deadpanned.

"…Weiss you're fired," Yang replied. Ruby and Blake gasped, but Sera was just confused.

"You- You what? Me? Fired? From what?" Weiss demanded.

"From being my partner in the doubles round tomorrow," Yang grinned then motioned her head towards Sera. "I want Sera to fight with me."

"You insufferable-!" Weiss stood.

"I say we put it to a vote!" Ruby announced. "All in favor of Sera fighting in Weiss's place?"

"Aye," Yang grinned and raised her hand.

"Aye?" Sera blinked.

"I don't care," Blake deadpanned and stood, hopping up to her bunk with her catlike agility.

"It's decided! Sorry, Weiss. I'm sure you would've done us proud," Ruby said and put a hand on the heiress's shoulder. Weiss sighed and returned to her desk, "You know what? I don't care! Just don't be upset if you lose," Weiss told them.

"What did I just do?" Sera asked. Yang grinned and slapped her hand onto Sera's shoulder, "Congratulations, Snowball! You get to show your stuff to the whole world tomorrow in a doubles match with your favorite teammate!"

"How come you're the favorite?" The remaining members of RWBYS asked at the same time.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me," Sera's eye slightly twitched.

"Hm?" Yang asked.

 _ **Whack!**_

"Yowch! What the hell?!" Yang exclaimed and clutched her head.

" _That's_ for telling everyone in the school about that nickname!" Sera told her with a smug smile.

"If you weren't gonna be fighting tomorrow I'd so tear you apart," Yang replied. Sera stuck her tongue out at her.

The next few hours flew by for the five girls. Sera unpacked her stuff and made up her makeshift bed space for later use. Weiss went to spend time with her sister and catch up. Blake remained atop her bunk, reading. Qrow stopped by to hang out with his nieces for a while before leaving once again. By time Weiss had finally returned, it was nighttime, and the shattered moon hung in the sky. Ruby, Sera, Yang, and Blake had all changed into their pajamas for the night, Sera's PJ's being a fresh purple tank top and white pajama pants with purple flower designs; the same pair she wore the previous night in the inn.

"Took you long enough," Sera deadpanned and went back to organizing her hundreds of songs into special playlists on her scroll. She was currently working on one that she called, "For When The Party Gets Started", aka fighting music.

"Well _sorry_ that I have family members that care about me," Weiss crossed her arms.

"The one who's ass I kicked?" Sera smirked and looked up from her scroll." Weiss huffed and went into the bathroom, presumably to possibly shower, change, and prepare for bed.

"She loves me," Sera grinned and went back to her music organizing. "She'd love to run you through with her rapier, that's for sure," Yang replied.

"After 'firing' her like that, she'd probably target you next, Blondie," Sera told her. Yang shrugged and laid back on her bunk, resting her hands behind her head and looking over at Sera sitting on her blankets laid out on the floor, "Eh, she'll get over it. You know, you really need a bed." She commented.

"Eh, I'll be fine. Better than nothing."

"You wanna lay in mine?" Yang smirked.

"Yang Xiao Long, are you asking me to come to bed with you?" Sera looked over at her with an expression of feigned surprise.

"Guys, Ruby's in the room," Blake deadpanned.

"So? I sleep in Yang's bed all the time!" Ruby said innocently. Yang rolled her eyes, "We haven't done that since we were kids, Ruby."

"And?" Ruby asked. Sera chuckled and laid back, covering herself with a thick blanket.

"I'll take that as a 'no' to the snuggling?" Yang asked sarcastically.

"Jeez, at least take me out to dinner first. You're coming on too strong, Xiao Long." Sera smirked and rolled her eyes.

"How bout if we win our match tomorrow and you don't do too horrible?" Yang asked.

"Sure, why not? Victory dinner," Sera replied and put in her earphones before turning over and laying her head on a pillow. As if on cue, Weiss stepped out of the bathroom with wet hair, wearing her nightgown. Ignoring the fact that Blake was still reading, she shut the room's light off and got into her bunk. Blake sighed and set her book aside, pulling her covers over her and settling into her bed. Ruby, however, was already asleep. She passed out as soon as the lights went off and her head hit the pillow. The faint sound of music could be heard from Sera's earphones. Then just as everyone was about to fall asleep, Blake spoke up.

"Yang, are you gay or something?"

"WHAT?!" Weiss exclaimed in the dark.

"Night, guys," Yang smirked.

. . .

"And we're off with another day of the annual Vytal Festival!" Professor Port's voice boomed over the loudspeakers scattered around the coliseum. "Today will be the doubles round! Two huntsman or huntresses from each of the winning teams from yesterday will fight today to advance to the final round."

"Yes! The final round will consist of one-on-one combat. Who will win it all?" Oobleck added.

Blake, Weiss, Ruby, and teams JNPR and SSSN were sitting in a big group together to watch the fight. The first fight of the day would be Sera and Yang versus two students from Atlas academy.

"How do you think they'll do?" Jaune asked curiously. Nora popped a handful of popcorn into her mouth, "Well, considering that they both think and fight in similar ways, and their general personalities… Nah, I'm sure they'll be fine."

"That's reassuring," Sun rolled his eyes. Then Port's voice dominated the arena again and they were all forced to listen, "Please welcome Sera and Yang Xiao Long of Beacon to the stage!" Applause erupted from around the arena. The crowd saw just what Yang could do the previous day, but what really peaked their interest was the addition of Sera being in the fight, since teams are usually comprised of four members. "And Flynt Coal and Neon of Atlas!"

Four figures were seen walking onto the middle of the stage. Ruby cheered when she saw her teammates. They were met by a dark-skinned boy in a dapper outfit and a bronze trumpet in his hands, along with an… Interesting-looking girl beside him. She was dressed like she was ready to attend a rave, with roller skates and those glow in the dark bracelet and necklace things around her neck and wrists. An orange feline tail that matched her hair color flicked behind her. A cat Faunus, by the looks of her.

"This is gonna be so good!" Ruby said excitedly while shaking her popcorn in her hands. Weiss rolled her eyes. While she was still livid about being replaced in such a manner, part of her was relieved. She didn't want to face anyone from her home. They knew _exactly_ who she was and where she came from. Blake watched intently while she sat beside Sun, who was cheering on his friends. Even though he didn't know Sera too well at all.

But something else happened. When Port announced Sera's name and the camera's zoomed in on her, a wave of confusion washed over the students of Shade academy.

"Hey isn't that-?" One asked.

"No way," Another added. "Impossible."

"Didn't her team go missing a while back?"

"Yeah except for one of them."

In the middle of the crowd, a young man with shoulder-length blond hair and storm cloud gray eyes looked shocked when the white-haired huntress appeared in the middle of the stage. On the large screens in front of the crowd, Sera grinned and hefted her sword. She said something to Yang, who smirked in response.

"I found you," The blond boy thought aloud. His whole world was turned around. As far as he'd known, she was dead, along with Red and Cerulean. The boy, Magnus Mundus, clutched his seat in anticipation at the sight of his missing teammate. Then he gave small smirk as the rotating cubes that would decide the fight's scenery began to spin. _"Alright,"_ He thought. _"Let's see what you've learned."_

Sera grinned and rested Crimson Eclipse on her shoulder as she and Yang faced off against their opponents.

"Nice outfit," She said. Flynt Coal regarded her with a cold gaze, "Thanks," He said with a bit of sarcasm.

"I was actually talking to her," Sera gestured at Neon. Yang smirked while Neon was rollerblading in a circle with ease.

"So, you're the amnesia girl," Flynt stated coolly and spun his trumpet on a finger.

"Yup," Sera replied.

"Heard we were originally gonna fight this chick and Weiss Schnee. What happened with that?" He asked. Sera gave a half smile, "Oh, y'know, stuff happens."

"Ain't that the truth," Flynt scoffed and adjusted his shades.

In the crowd, a certain girl with long black hair and amber eyes gazed down at the four huntsmen and huntresses with a sneer. Cinder Fall held up her scroll and clicked the record button, livestreaming the footage for a certain immortal sorceress to see. "Let's see how you've grown since we last saw you in combat," Cinder thought aloud, remembering the amnesiac's old sparring matches at Shade Academy. She'd gone to the campus to spy on this girl, and her mistress's suspicions were true about her. Untapped, limitless potential just waiting to be awakened because of her…parentage.

"Which on you want?" Yang asked. Sera shrugged and tightened her grip on her weapon, "Eh, dealer's choice."

"The dude, then," Yang grinned and slammed her fists together. Then Neon stopped her rollerblading and looked at the brawler, "You should try rollerblading sometime! It's _super_ fun! But it might take you a while to get it down, since you're so, y'know, top heavy."

"…The chick, then," Yang said and gritted her teeth.

"She has a point, though," Sera smirked and gestured to Yang's torso.

"You too?" Yang asked while her cheeks colored.

"Nah, I'm just messin' with you," Sera smiled and looked up at the spinning holographic cubes. They both stopped at the same time. One showed a red volcano and the other looked like a snowy mountain.

"Fire and ice!" Port shouted.

"Icy terrain and volcano!" Oobleck corrected.

"Yes!" Port affirmed. "Get ready! The fight will commence in three… Two… One!"

A buzzer went off. Sera grinned and raised her weapon, "Let's get this party started!" Neon immediately dashed forward and slammed into Yang, leaving a rainbow trail behind her. The blond grunted and recovered her footing, sending several blasts from her gauntlets towards Neon. Sera turned her attention to Flynt, only to be met by a literal soundwave emanating from his trumpet. The noise filled the entire stadium and made Sera cover her ears from the sheer intensity of the sound. The soundwave caused her feet to slide back a few meters, but she managed to maintain her balance. Once Flynt felt she was far enough back, he stopped blowing into his instrument/weapon and rushed Sera.

With a smirk, Sera quickly put in her earphones and jumped backwards, turning her body and pushing off of the ground to avoid Flynt's charge. As soon as she landed, she brought up her scroll and clicked 'play'. Ironically enough, loud, upbeat trumpets played with great skill played through her earphones, followed by a man singing in a foreign language. She'd only heard this song once before, and it immediately pumped her up. Sera grinned and hefted her sword as the trumpets picked up again in her song. _(Bloody Stream by Coda)._

Sera rushed forward while maintaining a one-handed thrusting motion with her sword. The tip of her weapon collided with Flynt Coal and sent him flying back, but he regained his footing in midair and recovered. With a smirk, she ran towards him, intending to stay as close as possible. Range was his ally with that weapon, but it'd be hard to blow into that trumpet if he was too busy defending himself from Sera's sword.

Before the Atlas student could blink, Sera was already on top of him. She swung her sword with such force that Flynt could feel the wind generated from it. He jumped backwards and raised his weapon to his lips, immediately blowing into it and playing different notes for different blast effects. A wave of transparent green energy flew towards Sera. Without hesitation, she leapt to the side and rolled, transforming her weapon into its rifle form and shooting a volley of rounds towards Flynt.

Meanwhile, Yang was getting mad. Every attack she launched at Neon, the Faunus simply dodged it and taunted her, calling the brawler fat or insulting her hair. Which would soon be a grave mistake.

"Maybe if you lost a few pounds, you wouldn't be so slow to hit me!" Neon called to her and zipped by on her roller skates.

"Shut up shut up shut UP!" Yang yelled and launched herself towards Neon via Ember Celica. Neon simply changed the direction of her rollerblading and avoided the punch that Yang threw at her. Clenching her jaw, Yang glared at the Faunus with her glowing-red eyes as her hair seemed to catch ablaze.

"Oho! It seems that Miss Xiao Long's semblance has activated. As most Beacon students know, this happens when she gets angry. And you wouldn't like her when she's—" Port announced.

"Angry?" Sera asked after she kicked Flynt in the side and sent him flying to the left and onto the icy ground.

"-upset," Port finished.

"YAAAARGHH!" Yang yelled and launched herself at Neon once more. This time, the hit connected, and the Faunus was sent sprawling onto the volcanic terrain. The hit by itself took fifty points off of Neon's aura meter. Meaning that either Yang's punch did that much damage, or her aura was just that weak.

The fight for Sera wasn't going all too well, in all honesty. While Flynt was hardly able to land a blast from his trumpet, she wasn't exactly able to hit him, either. Every time she fired bullets at him, he blasted them away with his weapon. Whenever she tried to get up close and personal, he was quick to put some distance between them. She knew that if she didn't end it now, this fight would drag on forever. And he seemed to realize it too.

Flynt Coal gritted his teeth and waited for Sera to get close again. Once she was exactly where he wanted her, he smirked.

Sera suddenly found herself surrounded by four Flynt Coals that looked exactly alike, save for their different colored hat bands and vest stripes. She hefted her sword and looked all around her to see all four of them raise their trumpets to their lips in sync.

"That's a neat trick. Bet it's real interesting in the bedroom," Sera grinned, hoping to throw him off. It worked.

"You could say that," He smirked, momentarily lowering his weapon.

"Wanna see a cooler trick?" Sera's grin widened. Before Flynt could fully raise his eyebrow, she mentally shouted, _"STOP!"_ And she felt a familiar tug in her gut, then everything around her ceased moving. The young huntress smirked and exited the circle of Flynts, walking behind the original and raising her sword with one hand. Before she the time stop ended, Sera glanced over at Yang to see that she was chasing after Neon, who was mid-stride with her roller skates.

Sera felt a mental twinge, and everything began moving again.

"Wha-?" Flynt said, then felt a tap on his shoulder. He whipped around to face Sera, his semblance deactivating and his clones melding together and rejoining him.

"Oho! It seems that young Sera has activated her semblance as well! Even I am still not sure how exactly it works, but it's certainly just put the fight in her favor!" Port's voice boomed.

"Neat trick, huh?" Sera grinned, then proceeded to slam her weapon into Flynt's chest. The young musician flew back, skidding across the ground until he coincidentally landed in front of Neon. Without time to avoid her teammate, she tripped over Flynt and landed on top of him with a startled expression on her face.

"Flynt! Where'd you come from?" She asked. Flynt readjusted his crooked shades and pointed at Sera, who was walking towards them with her sword rested on her shoulder and a grin on her face. "Crazy bitch," Flynt replied and lowered his hand. Then a shadow fell over them, and they looked up to see a smirking Yang Xiao Long cracking her knuckles and looking down at them.

"You wanna finish em, or shall I?" Yang asked Sera, who was now looking down at them as well.

"Together?" Sera asked and readied her sword.

"Together together," Yang smiled as she imitated Nora's voice. Sera smiled and prepared to strike down at the pair of Atlas students while Yang raised her fists.

"This could be the match!" Doctor Oobleck announced.

But they didn't get the chance to finish them off. Just as they went to attack, Flynt and Neon were sent flying upwards in an explosion of extremely hot steam.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" they screamed as they went into the sky.

Sera blinked and looked down to see that they were laying on a hole in the ground. One of the many holes that lava and steam blasted out due to the environment. The two opponents flew up, up, and off the side of the arena. A loud buzzer sounded, and Port's voice boomed, "And that's the match! A…surprisingly quick one, but that just shows how dangerous this duo of huntresses is together!"

"Yes! That might just be a new record! This match lasted approximately two and a half minutes!" Oobleck added. And they were right. The song that Sera was listening to hadn't even ended yet. She pulled her earphones out and pocketed them, then gave Yang a shit eating grin.

"Looks like you were right to have me replace Weiss," She said.

"Duh! Now let's get out of here, I need a shower. That chick was making me so angry, I thought steam was going to blow out of my ears," Yang laughed and put an arm around Sera's shoulders as they walked to the exit of the coliseum.

"Not bad," Magnus smirked and rose from his seat.

Cinder Fall put on a cold smile as she ended the livestream on her scroll. Surely, she'd be rewarded for her efforts. "Now," She thought aloud with Emerald and Mercury at her sides. "To make sure she doesn't make it out alive when the final stage of the plan begins."

. . .

Yang sighed contently as she stepped into the warm water of one of the locker room's many showers. She threw her towel over the edge of the shower stall and allowed the water to wash over her. Not too far away, Sera was taking off her dirty and sweaty combat clothing and putting on a more casual outfit. A purple short-sleeve shirt with black pants and her boots. She fitted a black belt around her waist and sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"Sure you don't wanna shower too? It'll help!" Yang called from across the locker room.

"I'm startin' to think you just wanna see me naked, Xiao Long! A girl can't even change her clothes without being stared at!" Sera teased. Yang didn't reply, causing Sera to raise her eyebrows. Finally, Yang called back, "In your dreams, Snowball! I was only trying to help!"

"Yeah, yeah. You still haven't taken me out to dinner!" Sera grinned.

"Anytime, anyplace!" Yang replied.

Sera smirked. She didn't know Yang's sexuality, but she seemed to have some sort of "thing" for her. What really tipped the amnesiac off was when Yang hugged her before she left with Qrow. "I'm thinkin' tonight!"

Yang nearly slipped in the shower. "You what?"

"Tonight. Girls night out on the town. We deserve it after winning our team another round, eh?" Sera smiled and put a hand on her hip, enjoying the expression on Yang's face. It was unlike her, given her personality. But she recovered quickly, "Yeah! I know the perfect place," Yang grinned.

"Perfect," Sera said and turned to exit the locker room. "See you then."

After Yang heard the sound of the locker room's door slamming closed, she smiled chuckled to herself. _"That girl's too much."_

Sera quickly made her way back outside to catch an airship to Vale. She wanted to go shopping. Her tiny wardrobe was starting to get a little boring, even if the clothes complimented her perfectly. But she wanted to check out the local stores, had a night on the town with Yang to do, and had fifteen-thousand Lien sitting comfortably in her pocket. It was time to splurge a little.

She caught the nearest airship heading to the Vale shopping district. It took less than five minutes to reach her destination, and with a grin, she stepped off of the exit ramp and into the city. Unsure of where to go first, she took off in a direction that she assumed would be where all the shops were. She'd only been here once before, and that was when she and Qrow walked through after he found her in Forever Fall.

Eventually, Sera found what she was looking for. Streets filled with shiny and clean stores of all kinds. Stores selling clothes, Dust, armor, weapons and weapon attachments, and just about anything else. She scanned over all the stores and shops for one that might catch her eye.

While Sera was busy searching for a place to spend her hard-earned Lien, someone found her first. With a cold stare, Cinder Fall followed Sera down the street.

Sera grinned when she saw a brightly lit store with racks and racks of clothes that looked like they'd be her style. _"Finally, something interesting,"_ She thought to herself and opened the glass double doors, a blast of cold air-conditioned wind blowing her hair. Sera's grin widened as she stepped in and allowed the doors to close. The inside walls were a warm red and the tile floor was black. The clothes were in all sorts of colors and styles that she could think of, and the walls were lined with glass cases filled with different accessories.

" _Damn, she actually found somewhere. I'll have to follow her inside, too,"_ Cinder thought to herself with a sigh. She opened the doors and went in and was taken aback by what she saw.

Sera was giggling to herself as she zipped by several racks of clothes, grabbing something every now and again, then bolted for a changing room.

Cinder blinked a few times but recovered quickly. She walked towards some racks of clothes and tried to look casual, browsing. A man in a nice vest and tie smiled at her as he approached. "Is there anything I can help you with, ma'am?"

" _Wowzer! This woman is the hottest I've seen yet!"_ He thought to himself with a small smile.

"No," Cinder dismissed coldly, never taking her eyes off of the clothing she was looking through.

"Are you sure? Perhaps I can—" He persisted.

"Leave," Cinder interrupted as she looked up at him, her fire-colored eyes flashing momentarily. The employee's eyes widened, and he backed off, a startled expression on his face. Cinder smirked and looked up to see if Sera had come out yet. Then the door to the changing room opened and Sera stepped out wearing a very nice, and very expensive-looking violet dress that complimented her eyes perfectly. Even Cinder was impressed. The dress was designed in a way that her left leg was visible from the knee down. The straps held the dress up on her shoulders and a white waistband was on her, well, waist. Sera smiled as she checked her reflection, turning around to check from all angles.

"Well?" the same man in a vest approached Sera with a kind smile. Sera checked her backside in the mirror, looking over her shoulder with an eyebrow raised, "I'll take it."

"Great! Now if you just—" He said.

"Along with all this," Sera said and dumped an armful of merchandise into his arms with a smile.

"Oh! Well, all right then! I'll just ring you up," He replied and struggled to carry the heap of clothing to the register. Sera went back into the changing room to change back into her clothes.

" _Holy Dust, that's a lot of clothes,"_ Cinder's eyes widened slightly. Then the doors to the store crashed open and a woman that emanated cockiness entered. Cinder turned her head to see a girl with a black beret and aviator shades walking towards the register. Then Sera stepped out of the changing room with the dress slung over her arm. The new girl lowered her shades and Sera grinned when she saw her.

"What do you think you're doing here, Coco?" Sera asked and went to place the dress on top of her other clothes.

"Better question is _what_ do you think you're doing in my store?" Coco smirked and pushed her shades up on the bridge of her nose.

"Your store? Who do you think you are, Coco?" Sera's eyes narrowed slightly.

" _My_ store," Coco crossed her arms.

"Ma'am, you don't own this stor—" The employee said.

"Can it, Sheldon," Coco held up a finger. Sheldon shut up and continued scanning clothes.

"How are you even able to afford all that? Stuff here's pretty expensive," Coco uncrossed her arms.

"Oh, y'know, hunting missions," Sera smiled and handed the employee her Lien card. She didn't even flinch at the price that all her clothing rung up. On the outside, anyway. The clothes ate up nearly half of her funds from her and Qrow's mission.

"How'd you manage that, Snowball? Not even my team gets to be paid for missions,"

"Special perks of knowing Qrow Branwen," Sera smirked and took her card back then picked up her many bags.

"Ohh, look at the bigshot. Little miss special moving on up in the world," Coco smirked.

" _Will you hurry up already?"_ Cinder mentally groaned.

"I was about to head to a weapon shop, you interested?" Sera asked.

" _No,"_ Cinder thought. _"No, no, no."_

"Sure, why not?" Coco grinned. "I know the best one in town."

" _FUCK,"_ Cinder groaned, a little too loudly. Sera and Coco raised an eyebrow and turned their heads in Cinder's direction. The half-Maiden hid behind a rack of clothes, but it was too late.

"Hey, doesn't that girl stay at Beacon?" Sera asked.

"Yeah, saw her in the tournament yesterday," Coco replied.

"Huh. Maybe we say hi?" Sera said and looked over to Coco.

"Why not?" Coco asked, then began walking over to Cinder.

"Great," Cinder said to herself and straightened herself out, fixing her usual red dress as Coco and Sera approached her.

"Hey! You're participating in the festival, right?" Sera greeted with a smile. She couldn't place it, but she looked familiar.

"That's right, and you are…?" Cinder asked, playing coy.

"Sera, and this is Coco. My…associate," Sera responded, gesturing at Coco.

"'Associate'?" Coco asked.

"Ignore her, she's a raging dyke," Sera smirked.

"Oh, you are _so_ dead," Coco crossed her arms. Cinder couldn't help but scoff at the white-head.

"Well, nice meeting you two, but I really must be leaving," Cinder gave a forced smile and turned to leave.

"Well, uh, bye," Sera gave a wave as Cinder exited the store.

"Raging dyke?" Coco turned her head towards Sera.

"We going to that weapon store or not?" Sera ignored her with a smirk.

After they left the store, Sera and Coco walked for several minutes until they arrived at a large store that resembled a log cabin, filled with weapons of every kind hanging on walls and in display cases. Whenever they entered, a large man wearing a blacksmith's apron with a large, black beard on his face and long black hair pulled back in a ponytail greeted them.

"Welcome! Back again, Coco?" He said kindly.

"You got it, Tarkus," Coco replied.

"Who's your friend?" Tarkus asked, turning his eyes to Sera.

"This is Sera, a friend from school."

Sera half expected Coco to introduce her in a way like she did with Cinder back at the clothes store.

"Hi," Sera gave a wave.

"Hello, Sera. Here to purchase a weapon, or are you like Coco and only want to browse?" He asked in a joking tone.

"Just looking for now," Sera smiled.

"Thought so," He smiled with a twinkle in his eye. Sera could tell he was a good and kind man just by talking to him.

"Can I set these down somewhere?" Sera asked, showing him her several bags of clothes.

"Of course! Anywhere you like," He replied, and Sera set her bags against a wall. Coco was already looking through the wide assortment of weapons that lined the walls, then Sera started to do the same. Nothing quite caught her eye just yet. She saw maces, axes, swords, and knives of all shapes and sizes. Guns and Dust rounds took up the rest of the space. Sera was looking at a large lightweight machine gun with a box clip when she saw something. She picked up an old-fashioned revolver that a gunslinger might've used. She twirled the gun on her finger and inspected its design. The gunmetal was black as night with silver engravings along the barrel and cylinder that reminded her of ocean waves. The grip felt good and the gun was balanced, as if it were made for her hand. After twirling it again and aiming it towards a wall with one hand, Tarkus noticed her.

"One of my favorite creations, that one. Got inspired by an old movie about gunslingers and outlaws, so I made that gun to commemorate it." He said to her as he went to stand beside the amnesiac. Now that he was a lot closer, Sera noticed that Tarkus was nearly seven feet tall with rippling muscles and rough hands, likely from blacksmithing so many weapons.

"You made all these?" Sera asked.

"That's right. My shop is the only one in Vale that sells non-transforming weapons," He answered. That took her aback. All weapons she sees huntsmen use transform into something, usually a gun, except for maybe Professor Port's blunderbuss-axe.

"None of your weapons transform into anything? How's your business going?" Sera asked curiously.

"Well, actually. You'd be surprised how many people prefer classic weaponry these days," he replied.

"Color me impressed," Sera said and spun the gun on her finger again. Tarkus nodded at the weapon, "Care to buy it?" He asked kindly. Sera then held the weapon in her hand and gazed down at it. It'd give her an edge in battle, but she also didn't know if there were any rules against her having multiple weapons. She could think of several students who carried more than just one, but those were special cases. Like Yang with her gauntlets or Ren with his duel pistols. This was a different situation. But she would finally have something to put on that gun belt of hers…

After a moment's consideration, Sera returned the weapon to its place and smiled kindly, "I think not, actually. Perhaps another day." Tarkus shrugged in response, "Eh, that's okay. I'll hold it for you in case you change your mind," He said warmly and picked the weapon up, along with a wooden case, and placed the revolver inside. The foam was hollowed out so that the gun would fit perfectly within it, along with several small, cylinder-shaped holes that held Dust ammunition.

"I appreciate it," Sera thanked, then Tarkus nodded and placed the wooden case behind the counter of the shop.

"You ready, Coco?" Sera asked. Coco looked back over at her and grinned, "Not quite. Tarkus, ring me up for ten thousand Dust rounds for my baby. You know what I'm talking about."

Tarkus sighed and shook his head, "That gun of yours is a monstrosity."

"I know~" Coco replied as she adjusted her shades.

. . .

It didn't take long for Sera and Coco to get back to Beacon. When they entered the dormitories, they said their goodbyes and separated, returning to their own rooms. Sera had to kick open the door to hers due to the number of bags she was carrying, but no one was inside, so no one could get mad at her for it. She unpacked and put away all her new stuff in the closet. The inside of said closet had been previously separated into five separate spaces for each of the team members, and now Sera's space was overflowing. Before, Weiss's clothes dominated the closet, but now that was not the case. Sera smiled to herself, imagining the reaction that the heiress would have to being dethroned, closet-wise.

After she was finished, Sera hung her dress up so that it wouldn't get wrinkled to wear for tonight. She concluded that her blond teammate had some sort of "thing" for her, so she intended to tease her about it by going all out.

Apparently, Yang was already out and preparing for their "girls' night out". Sera knew this because after she finished putting her new clothing away, her scroll beeped. A message from Yang said that she was in Vale, waiting at a restaurant. She didn't give the name of the place, only an address.

"Well crap!" Sera cursed aloud once she saw the time. "Putting those clothes away took nearly an hour! It's already almost seven!" And so, she put on her new dress and fixed her hair up. By time she left, it was fifteen past seven.

She hurried to the airship docking to get to the address Yang sent her. The young huntress hadn't bought any shoes to go with her dress, so she took a risk and stole a pair of Weiss's heels. And she had no idea how that girl managed to fight in them. They were awful to wear! She made her way back onto an airship and only managed to fall one or seven times on the way.

Sera finally made it to her destination, which happened to be an expensive-looking restaurant that seemed made for Weiss's kind of people. She sighed and entered the building, then gasped. The place was _very_ nice. It reminded her of those restaurants that people would have their first dates on in movies. Dim lights, dozens of fancy tables and even suit-wearing waiters that wore white silk gloves and everything. A woman in a beautiful dress and makeup greeted her at the door with a smile, "Hello. Do you have a reservation?"

"Uh," Sera responded. "Xiao Long?"

"Right away. Follow me, please," The woman said and walked further into the restaurant with Sera following until they reached a velvet rope with a 'reserved' sign on it. "Right through here," The woman smiled after she undid the rope and gestured for Sera to enter. She nodded at the lady and passed through.

" _Wow. Yang really went all out for this. Guess she likes me a lot more than I thought."_ Sera thought to herself, starting to get giddy. She guessed that this was way less of a girls' night out and more of a date.

Then Sera turned a corner and all her suspicions were proven wrong. Sitting at a table were the four members of her team, talking and laughing with each other. Then Yang noticed her.

"Hey, Sera! You made it!" She smiled. All of her team was wearing nice dresses, all corresponding with their given colors. Weiss was in a very expensive-looking white dress, Blake in a rather simple black Mistralian kimono, Ruby in a nice red dress with a skirt that stopped above the knee, and Yang in a strapless yellow dress that reached her ankles.

"What's this?" Sera asked, rather surprised at the scene.

"What do you mean? Didn't Yang tell you this was a girls' night out thing?" Ruby asked.

"Are those my shoes?" Weiss demanded.

"Uh, yes. To both questions," Sera answered. "How are your feet so small?"

"Why do you have my shoes?" Weiss asked.

"Girls, girls. This is supposed to be a fun night, so stop fighting and enjoy!" Yang intervened, then gestured at the seat beside her for Sera to sit. And she did. Sera scooted her chair up to the table and looked at each of her team members. Ruby was wearing her usual smile, Weiss was glaring at her, Blake was observing silently as usual, and Yang was grinning while she read a menu. Sera picked up her own menu and scanned it quickly while taking sip from a glass of mineral water that was in front of her, and she nearly spit out her drink. Partly because of the taste of the water, but mostly because of the price of all the menu items. Two hundred Lien for a sirloin steak?

"How, uh, how're we paying for this?" Sera asked. She knew how she could, because of her leftover reward money, but she was curious about how the others were. She knew Weiss was filthy rich, but she doubted the heiress was going to pay for it out of the goodness of her heart. She wasn't sure about Blake's wealth, but she knew that Yang and Ruby weren't exactly from a rich family.

"My treat, actually," Weiss responded. Sera did a double take at her fellow white-head. "Because you're just so kind and generous?" Sera asked. Weiss's expression soured. "If you _must_ be like that, it's because of your win today. Yang proposed a night out with the team, and I decided to reward her for her efforts today, and that includes you. Even though you are a massive headache."

"I actually heard some sincerity in your voice just now, Weiss. I think I'm growing on you~" Sera smiled and rested her chin on her palm. Weiss rolled her eyes in response.

They had a lovely dinner. Sera, Yang, and Ruby ordered large steaks, Blake ordered smoked salmon, and Weiss got some sort of salad, naturally. They talked about pointless topics for the whole dinner, laughing and joking together even more than they usually did. Blake actually participated. After they were finished, Weiss paid for it all, true to her word. The five of them left the restaurant with full bellies and positive attitudes. They were going to explore the city for longer and truly have fun, but Ruby was sleepy, so they headed back for an airship rather than have to carry an unconscious fifteen-year-old around.

As they walked down the street in the night, Weiss, Blake, and Ruby led the group while Yang and Sera trailed a several feet behind.

"Y'know, tonight was really fun. But I can't shake this thing on my mind," Sera told her.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Yang asked. Sera chewed her bottom lip and stayed silent for a moment. Finally, she said, "You've built this whole thing up, and I thought it was going to be different because of, y'know."

"Know what?" Yang said, and Sera shot her a look.

"Look, I've noticed how you act around me recently. Like the way you hugged me before I left with Qrow? You've got a thing for me, Xiao Long," Sera responded. Yang's expression morphed into something different. Embarrassment? Shame? Sera couldn't tell.

"Oh," Yang said. "That."

"Yeah, 'that'." Sera said. She hoped the others couldn't hear them.

Then the blonde's mood changed. "I dunno where you got that impression, Snowball, but what do you take me for? Some sort of hopeless romantic who has a crush on her teammate?" She said in her usual boisterous tone. Sera raised an eyebrow, but Yang never wavered. The white-head sighed, half relieved, but also half something else. She could've sworn it was disappointment.

"Okay, forget I said anything. Things have been tense for a while. Guess I was imagining things," Sera said.

"Glad that's cleared up. You and me? Get real!" Yang smiled. She was kidding, but she looked unsure.

The rest of the trip back to Beacon was rather uneventful. No one really spoke, and Weiss's heels were killing Sera's feet. But when they finally reached the door to their room, Sera was the last to enter with Yang right in front of her. But before the brawler went in, she turned her head to look over her shoulder.

"Hey, Sera?" She said. Sera looked up, her violet eyes meeting Yang's lavender ones. "You look beautiful in that dress," She said, then entered their room. Sera smirked and followed her, _"Called it,"_ She thought to herself.

 _ **Yo, it's me. The author. Yeah I'm kinda shipping my OC with Yang for this story. Why not? I think they're good for each other anyway. Not sure how far it's going to go, though. Obviously, the story isn't going to become NSFW or anything like that, but there might be some romance. Sorry but if anyone doesn't like that, don't read it. I have some pretty big plans for this little fic, plot-wise, but I hope that a little shipping doesn't drive anyone away. Might get a little descriptive, though. Kinda had to resist mentioning how Yang's strapless dress made her, ahem, 'bust' look.**_

 _ **Might do a little additional, minor shipping. Like Blake and Sun, Coco and Velvet, Weiss and Neptune, stuff like that. Stuff that's generally canon. No, I don't really plan on shipping Ruby with anyone. She's too pure for that just yet, in my opinion. Plus I just kinda think she should be single, even in the show, y'know? So yeah, hard no for Ruby x Oscar. That ship's just awful.**_

 _ **I doubt I'll name all the music Sera listens to all the time, that gets a little repetitive. Unless yous guys like that, then I will. Kinda got inspired by the movie Baby Driver and also Jessica Biel's role in Blade: Trinity to have Sera listen to music more often, both on and off the battlefield.**_

 _ **P.S., I'm sure you noticed all the references to Greek mythology. Sera's tattoo, all her Omega symbols, the Hydra and Minotaur Grimm. Basically, I'm a big mythology fan, and Greek is my favorite. I'm sure I said something about it before but I'm too lazy and too tired at the moment to go back and check my earlier work, so this is a little refresher.**_

 _ **P.S.S., the Dante from Devil May Cry's personality within Sera is about to show its true colors in the next chapter. Don't worry, it'll be obvious. Sera did go clothes shopping, after all.**_


	6. Time of Dying

"And we're off with the final round of the Vytal Festival Tournament! This round will consist of one vs. one combat of a huntsman or huntress to represent his or her team! The fighting will begin shortly, so do make sure to get enough popcorn to last you!" Professor Port's voice boomed over the loudspeaker.

Teams RWBYS, JNPR, CFVY, and SSSN sat in the stands as they waited for the first round of the day to begin. Ever since RWBYS's "girls' night out", Sera and Yang tended to not speak directly to each other or meet each other's gaze. They even sat with Weiss, Blake, and Ruby between them to separate each other.

"You want her to _what?"_ Weiss demanded. Yang looked over at the heiress, annoyed that she'd have to repeat herself again, "I want Sera to take my place for the 1v1 match. Her semblance is near impossible to beat and she stands a better chance against someone in a one-on-one. Remember her spar against Nora?" Yang asked. Even Sera was surprised at this. She was one of the ones that voted for Yang to do the one-on-one.

"Well yeah, but you're kinda the muscle of the team," Sun put in.

"What'd you say?" Sera asked the Faunus.

"Um, er, what I _meant_ to say was that Yang has the most combat experience out of you five," He stuttered.

"What was that?" Blake asked. Sun threw his hands up in the air, "Oh, I give up!"

Turning her attention to her blond teammate, Sera asked, "He's right, though. And you were so excited about this match!"

Yang's eyes widened slightly that she'd spoken directly to her. "Well, yeah, but I'd feel better if you did it. I've just…got a bad feeling about this match. You'd probably handle it better," Her gaze lowered slightly.

Taken aback slightly, Sera nodded, "Then I won't disappoint. Someone tell Port that there's been a switch up," She grinned.

"On it!" Nora got up and disappeared in a silhouette of pink dust. Her form could be seen speeding towards the announcer's booth. The others blinked at the Valkyrie's…shenanigan.

"So! There's a good chance that we'll be tussling, eh?" Sun asked, looking over at Sera. She shrugged in response, "Maybe so."

But unknown to them, a certain woman with long black hair and fiery eyes was eavesdropping the whole conversation.

" _Well that dents the plan a little. I'll have to act accordingly…,"_ Cinder thought to herself as she took out her scroll.

From several rows of seats away, Magnus Mundus was eyeing his old teammate warily. He'd been secretly following her around and asking the student body about her to gather as much information as he could as to why she was here. He was told that she'd had amnesia and was given a place in Beacon until she recovered her memory. He'd been awaiting an opportunity to speak to her privately, but she was always accompanied by someone else. Usually one of her four teammates.

Then two holographic squares appeared over the arena, and they began to spin vertically, students' faces swapping on the sides of the cube.

"And the first match of the day will be…!" Oobleck announced, getting everyone's attention. Cinder smirked and tapped on her scroll, then the two squares stopped spinning.

"Sera of team RWBYS versus Pyrrha Nikos of JNPR!" Port shouted. Sera's eyes widened and she turned to look at her friend. Pyrrha gave an awkward smile and a small wave, then rose out of her seat to prepare for the fight. Sera grinned and stood abruptly, ruffling Ruby's hair as she made her way to retriever her combat equipment. Ruby smiled as Sera passed, "Go get her, Sera!"

" _Oh, I've been waiting for this,"_ Sera smiled to herself and nearly leaped up the stairs behind Pyrrha. Ten minutes later, Sera and Pyrrha were walking onto the battlefield. There wouldn't be any environmental changes, just the two of them on the empty floor, with millions of people watching them both in person and on television. Sera grinned and adjusted her new coat as she twirled her sword like she always does.

"What," Jaune asked. "Is she wearing?"

"That's… a fashion statement," Weiss commented.

"Has she been into the action movies again? The ones with the simulation world? Where everyone wore long coats and sunglasses?" Yang asked.

"Those are good movies, actually," Ruby commented, crossing her arms.

"Of course you'd think so," Blake gave a small smile.

Sera and Pyrrha faced off with their weapons at the ready. Sera held her sword rested on one shoulder while Pyrrha stood in a defensive stance with her shield raised and her javelin raised as if she were going to thrust the weapon into someone. But the clothing that Sera's friends were commenting on deserved attention. She wore a long, crimson leather coat that was mere inches from the ground. A shiny silver Omega symbol the size of a large coin was pinned to the coat's lapel and glinted in the sunlight. Under the coat she wore only a black tube top that did a good job of showing off her lightly toned abs. She also wore a pair of leather pants the same color of her coat that was tucked into a pair of tall black boots that reached a few inches below her knees.

"And time to start of the qualifiers' matches for the final round! Whoever wins this match will continue onto the semifinal brackets for the one-on-one matches," Doctor Oobleck announced, then a holographic square with the number 'ten' on the front appeared. It began to count down, an audible 'ding' every time the number changed.

"Get her, Sera! Team RWBYS has to win the tournament!" Ruby cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted.

"Fight well!" Ren yelled. Even he was getting excited for this match.

"I honestly don't know who's going to win. They're both in a league of their own," Jaune said. Blake nodded while she watched her two friends intently, "I agree. Anything could happen in this." Weiss crossed her arms, "Yeah, if she actually uses her head for once in a fight instead of just charging in, expecting to win."

"It's never failed before," Nora shrugged. Somehow, the timer hadn't reached one yet.

"Yes, but her fights would go much smoother and quicker if she actually planned things out instead of just going with the flow," Neptune added, "Right, Yang?"

"KICK HER ASS, SERA! No offense, Pyrrha!" Yang yelled down at them; her voice much louder than the crowd.

"It's okay!" Pyrrha called back.

"Fight!" Port shouted as soon as the timer finally hit zero. Sera grinned and rushed forward, bringing down her sword in a massive swing. Pyrrha immediately caught the blow on her shield and slammed her javelin into the amnesiac's chest, sending her flying back at a much higher velocity than anticipated.

Immediately capitalizing on the opportunity, she was given, Pyrrha dashed forward, transforming her javelin into a one-handed sword and leaping into the air to slam her feet into Sera's chest. But Sera was ready for that. She grabbed the Spartan's foot and spun, slamming Pyrrha face-first into the concrete.

"Oooooh!" the crowd groaned. Without wasting a breath, Sera raised her sword and cleaved downwards. With the slight motion of Pyrrha's hand, the sword moved several inches to the right and harmlessly sliced itself into the ground. Sera blinked and raised an eyebrow, _"What the-?"_

Pyrrha smirked and launched her body upwards, kicking Sera in the chest and causing her to let go of her weapon, leaving it sticking out of the concrete. Sera immediately got to her feet but was forced to go on the defensive. Pyrrha was already on top of her, swinging her short sword and throwing her shield then recalling it back to her hand via her semblance.

Sera ducked just as Pyrrha's sword swung at her head, narrowly missing the purple-eyed huntress. Before she could swing again, Sera swept Pyrrha's legs out from under her. Or she thought she did. The red head hopped over Sera's foot and used her shield to slam her back. Sera tumbled across the stage for several meters until she came to a stop.

"Things are not looking good for young Sera! If only she could retrieve her weapon, then perhaps she has a chance!" Port's voice boomed.

"She's not doing too good," Sun commented and used his tail to bring a glass bottle of Pumpkin Pete's soda to his lips.

"She'll be fine," Ruby rolled her silver eyes. "Maybe."

With a groan, Sera picked herself off the ground and faced her opponent.

"Polarity, huh?" She asked. Pyrrha gave a small smile as she approached the amnesiac.

"How'd you guess?"

"My sword _doesn't_ miss its mark like that," Sera told her and straightened her coat as she stood.

Pyrrha only smirked then rushed her again. Sera's eyes widened as she sidestepped the star pupil's initial attack and grabbed her wrist, punching under her arm with her free hand then retreating a few paces back. Completely unfazed, Pyrrha transformed her sword back into a javelin and jabbed at her. Sera tried to dodge, but Pyrrha was too fast. The javelin tip nicked her arm and impacted her aura, causing her meter to go down slightly more. Sera's eyes flickered from her opponent to her sword, still stuck in the ground. If she used her semblance, she could either attack Pyrrha or retrieve her weapon. Either way, her stamina will be significantly low if she does either. Despite practicing with her time semblance while she trained, the result is still the same: if she pushes limits, the results will leave her incapable of defending herself.

Pyrrha knew that Sera was thinking about pulling some sort of move to get her sword. It's what any warrior would do. She just had to wait for her to make her move.

Instead of using her semblance, Sera smiled and rolled her sleeves up to just below her elbows. Then she charged.

Sera threw a barrage of punches at Pyrrha, but the Spartan dodged to the side and stuck the white-head in the side with her javelin. Without even flinching, Sera grabbed the weapon and yanked, pulling the javelin out of Pyrrha's grip. She then grinned and held the weapon with both hands, stabbing at Pyrrha with her own javelin. But Sera didn't know how to effectively use this weapon; she was sloppy. Pyrrha easily evaded the attacks and used her semblance to recall the weapon. Once the javelin flew out of Sera's hands and into hers, Pyrrha smirked.

Then Sera proceeded with the next stage of her plan. She pulled a dark blue Dust crystal out of her pocket and threw it at Pyrrha's feet. The Dust exploded on impact and sent Pyrrha flying upwards with a huge gust of wind.

The crowd's eyes went upward with Pyrrha. She got maximum lift, then began her descent back to the ground. And she didn't even look worried. Pyrrha recovered easily, her feet slamming into the ground and creating a shallow crater with the impact. When she looked up, Sera was five feet in front of her, sword in hand.

As soon as the Dust crystal did its job, the amnesiac sprinted for her lost weapon while everyone's focus was on Pyrrha. She swung her sword at the Spartan and caught her in the side, causing significant damage to her aura.

"What a ploy by Sera! Using the power of a wind Dust crystal to expel Pyrrha and retrieve her sword! That's my girl!" Port announced.

"What was that about not using her head, Weiss?" Coco asked.

"Okay, maybe I was wrong," Weiss admitted.

Pyrrha threw her shield at Sera as she flew back. The disc slammed into her chest and made her stumble, then it flew back to the Spartan's hand. Then, before Sera could lunge at Pyrrha again, the red head spoke up.

"Hold on! How about this? No more tricks or ploys, we just fight, head-to-head to truly see who's better in sheer combat," She said. She'd decided to play to Sera's ego. "If you win you get endless bragging rights for defeating me in one-on-one, pure skill-based combat."

Sera rested her sword on her shoulder, "You've piqued my interest, Nikos. All right, I'll play your game. Now let's get this party started!"

Pyrrha suppressed a smile. She'd fallen for it.

Then the Spartan nodded and ran towards her opponent. Sera smirked and did the same. When they met in the middle, they each let out a flurry of strikes, each meant to do major damage.

"What are they doing?" Sun asked.

"It seems that they're comparing raw skill," Ren replied.

"So basically," Blake said, "It's anyone's game at this point."

"Basically," Ren said.

Sera laughed as she and Pyrrha traded blows, each of their aura meters gradually lowering. She caught Pyrrha's javelin and swung forward, slamming the hilt of her sword into her head and causing the red head to stumble. She then yanked the staff out of her hands and planted the tip in the ground, using the pole to swing forward and kick her in the chest, shouting, "Woo-hoo!"

Pyrrha cursed and regained her footing, recalling her weapon just in time to block Sera's sword with the length of the javelin. She slammed her shield into her gut to get some breathing room, but Sera immediately recovered. They were only getting faster as this battle went on, up to the point where it appeared like Qrow's battle against Winter; so fast that the human eye could barely track them.

They occasionally appeared in various places around the stage, each of them taking turns to attack or block their opponent's blow.

"My word! Even the cameras are having trouble keeping up!" Oobleck noted.

"When did they get so fast?!" Ruby demanded, almost offended that they appeared just as fast as her semblance.

"Maybe… This is how strong they've always been. But now they each have an opponent worth going all-out against," Jaune guessed. Yang turned her eyes to their aura meters. They were each steadily going down, nearing the low twenties. Fifteen was the lowest they could go before the match was called.

"She needs to hurry up and end this," She muttered to herself. Hearing this, Weiss turned her head to the aura meters, then nodded in understanding.

Down on the battleground, the battle still raged on, the crowd roaring at the display and Port continuously commenting his praise on their efforts.

Sera's and Pyrrha's friends could only watch in silence as their aura meters dropped below twenty, but their eyes immediately turned back to the stage when they heard a loud _clang!_

Sera and Pyrrha were in a power struggle, each of their weapons locked with the other. They each panted heavily, their auras visibly flickering. Pyrrha's hair was disheveled and her headpiece was slightly crooked. One of her gauntlets was missing. Sera gave a weak smirk. Her new coat was tattered and ripped here and there, but luckily her tube top was still intact. She didn't want to give the world _that_ kind of image of herself. Her hair hung in her eyes and a bead of sweat trailed down her forehead.

Then when it looked like Sera won the power struggle, Pyrrha pushed back with all her might and used her semblance to dislodge Sera's blade. They each began to attack each other again, albeit much more visibly, but Pyrrha got the first hit off. She slammed her javelin into Sera's side, then Sera swung her sword into Pyrrha's side. They traded several more blows, then Sera tried to deliver an over-head slam with her weapon but missed! The sword struck the ground and the concrete exploded, a large cloud of dust enveloping them. The crowd could hear their weapons clashing several more times, then it came to a halt.

A few seconds later, the dust cleared to reveal each of them still standing, facing each other. Sera held her sword at her side and Pyrrha did the same with her weapons. Both of their chests heaved heavily as they stared at each other.

Pyrrha winced suddenly, and Sera smirked in response.

"Oh, no!" Nora gasped as Pyrrha fell to one knee. Yang smiled. Weiss's eyes widened in surprise. Blake's mouth hung open. Ruby's eyes were filled with pride and excitement. The entire stadium was silent.

Sera's grin grew wider and she rested her sword on her shoulder.

She opened her mouth to speak, she suddenly winced. Pyrrha panted heavily and looked up just in time to see Sera fall back, her sword clanging to the ground beside her. The Spartan turned her eyes to their aura meters. Hers was at sixteen. Sera's was at fifteen.

The crowd erupted in cheer, save Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang. Their mouths hung open as they came to terms with what just happened.

"I can't believe it! The victor is Pyrrha Nikos! After such an intense and invigorating fight, the pride of Beacon still holds her status! …Is Sera okay?" Port's voice shouted.

"She…lost?" Weiss asked.

"Well…I guess Pyrrha really _is_ the best," Blake said.

"I can't believe it… After all that, she still lost?" Ruby asked.

"It was a really, _really_ close fight," Yang added.

"I actually had my doubts, but our girl pulled through!" Nora grinned widely.

"It truly was a good battle," Ren smiled.

"…Let's go check on her," Sun said.

"Good idea," Yang replied and stood, heading down to where Sera would be taken.

. . .

Sera's eyes blinked open to find herself in a small bed. She looked around to inspect her surroundings: a room in the infirmary.

"She's awake!" a familiar high-pitched voice said. She turned her head to see several people suddenly standing around her bed. Her team, JNPR, and Sun Wukong. Pyrrha had a bandage around her right arm and her head, along with various bandages on her body.

"What happened?" Sera asked.

"You and Pyrrha went at it until you passed out," Weiss replied.

"…Did I win?" she asked.

Everyone laughed at that and Sera chuckled awkwardly along with them. "Ha-ha, but seriously. Did I win?"

"It was a close one, but Pyrrha narrowly one. By a single point of aura on her meter, to be exact," Blake responded. Pyrrha smiled apologetically, but it was pointless. Still appreciated, though. But Sera knew she won fair and square. They compared all their skill, and Pyrrha came out on top. Well, maybe not _all_ their skill…

Seemingly reading Sera's mind, Pyrrha asked, "Why didn't you ever use your semblance? That fight would've ended much sooner if you had." Everyone's eyes either narrowed or widened at her comment.

"She's right. As strong as Pyrrha is, that semblance is impossible to combat. Why didn't you utilize it?" Ren asked. Yang normally would've exploded with worry in this situation, but she stayed silent. All eyes turned to Sera, expecting an answer.

The amnesiac shifted uncomfortably in her bed under the gaze of her friends. Finally, she said, "I wanted to see if I could win a fight without it. I've used my ability to temporarily stop time in every fight I've been in since I've been here. If I want to truly become a good fighter, I need to not rely on my semblance so much," Her eyes went into her lap. Yang's eyes widened slightly at her words. Maybe she could learn a thing or two from her new teammate.

Pyrrha nodded gratefully, "I admire you for that. That was my one fear going into our fight. That you'd use your semblance at the most opportune moment and end the fight then and there. For what it's worth, thank you, Sera. You're one of the best fighters I've ever faced."

Sera smiled, "Thanks, Pyrrha. Testing my mettle against you has been very…eye opening. But next time…" She then slammed her fist into her open palm, "You're goin' down."

Pyrrha laughed and nodded, "We'll see."

"Now get outta here so I can get my beauty sleep," Sera waved at all of them dismissively.

"…Actually, you can leave whenever you want. You were really just put in here as a formality," Sun said, but Sera was already turned over with her head on a pillow. Weiss sighed in that way she always does, "C'mon, we still have more matches to watch."

Reluctantly, everyone exited the room to return to the coliseum. Then Sera turned back over to find Yang sitting in a chair against the wall.

"What's the matter, Xiao Long? Worried about little ole me?" She asked. Yang smirked and crossed her arms, "Nah, figured I'd stop you from hurting yourself any further. Should've known you'd botch that match." Sera put a hand over her heart and put on a hurt expression, "That really hurt, Yangy. Right down to my very core."

Yang chuckled and shook her head. After a moment, she said, "You did good, even though you lost."

"Did my best," Sera gave a small sigh and looked out of the window of her room. Airships drifted through the sky, the large coliseum ever present in the distance.

"Yeah, well, can't win em all. Especially when you have to fight Pyrrha Nikos," Yang smirked.

"You're right. I'm not invincible, after all," Sera looked down at her lap. Yang stood and approached her bed, sitting on the edge, "No one is. Even though you try your best to take out everything in your path." Sera glanced at her with a knowing smirk, "And you don't?"

"Hey, I don't do it with the magnitude that you do," Yang smiled, then put a hand on Sera's knee, "But when you actually make a plan instead of bum rushing something and hoping for the best, you're pretty scary. That Dust trick earlier was an example, even though all you used it for was to get your sword."

Sera smiled in response, "Thanks, Xiao Long."

"See? That empty head of yours is useful after all," Yang said and patted Sera's knee as she stood.

"And there's the snark," Sera commented. Yang smiled and walked towards the door to leave. Before leaving her by herself, the brawler turned to Sera, "Don't stay in here too long, 'kay? You still have friends who want you with them for the tournament."

Sera nodded in response, then Yang shut the door, and she was by herself.

She groaned and threw the blanket off her body and stood, her bare feet on the cool tile floor. She quickly spotted her clothes neatly folded on a table and went for them. "If they want me," She thought aloud, "They're gonna have me," She said, referring to her friends at the stadium.

As soon as she was dressed, a knock came to the door. She said to come in, and the door creaked open. A boy with blond hair and gray eyes poked his head in, then the rest of him entered.

"Who're you?" Sera asked as she subtly widened her stance and held her hands at her sides. The boy smiled and closed the door behind him, "That was quite a match, if I do say so myself."

Sera raised an eyebrow, "Thanks, now, who are you?"

"We used to know each other," He said and strolled to stand by the window, then he turned his head to look at her with a knowing smirk, "Back at Shade."

Sera's eyes widened slightly. Images of familiar classrooms and courtyards filled her image, with short trees surrounding a large campus of desert. She saw herself, her two former teammates, Red and Cerulean, along with this new person. All laughing and fighting together.

"You were my teammate. You knew me from before—" She said.

"Before you lost your memory, yes. I thought you were dead until the other day, along with Red and Cerulean. You wouldn't happen to know where they are, would you?" He asked. Sera shook her head in response. The guy nodded and cast his eyes down, "I thought not. The three of you were tasked with investigating the Forever Fall forest during a visit to Vale. And then no one saw you again, until now. Our fellow classmates recognized you immediately when you fought with that blond girl against those two Atlas students," He continued. This was almost too much for Sera to take in. Someone from her past actually found her. She could discover more about her past and possibly regain her memory, all because of the Vytal Festival.

"How'd you know we were missing?" Sera wondered.

"Well for one, none of you came back. For another, I found this," He said, then pulled something from behind him. It was a double-edged sword with a red blade and black hilt. It was a few inches shorter than Crimson Eclipse, and Sera recognized it instantly. More memories flooded into her mind of this weapon. Sharpening it, fighting with it, hell, even _making_ it. She'd made this sword with her own two hands.

The guy tossed the weapon to her, and she caught it with ease. She instinctively ran her finger along the blade, as if she'd done it a thousand times. It felt right in her hands.

"This is mine," Sera thought aloud as she gazed down at the weapon.

"That's right. Come on, the headmaster of Shade is going to want to know about this," the blond guy said and opened the door, but Sera hesitated. "Something wrong?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sera thought of her time at Beacon, with Ruby and the others. She's had nothing but a blast ever since waking up in that forest. She might have been from Shade Academy with this boy, but Beacon was her home now. She'd been welcomed with open arms from the start, and she didn't even remember anything about this boy—only that he was on her team.

She tossed the weapon back to him, and he looked shocked and confused.

"I'm going to go tell _my_ headmaster about this. Shade can wait until I'm good and ready," She said.

"That's really not a good idea—" He said.

"Why not? I don't even know you, not really. Sure, I might be from Shade, or Vacuo, or whatever, but as of now, I'm a student of Beacon," She said with determination. Beacon and Vale were familiar to her now. She didn't know if she'd feel the same way about it when- _if_ she regained her memory, but until then this was her decision.

The guy sighed and nodded, "Fine. Let's go talk to Beacon's headmaster."

Sera nodded with satisfaction, then followed him out of the room.

. . .

On the way to Beacon Tower, the blond guy told her that his name was Magnus Mundus and that he'd been searching for her and their teammates ever since they disappeared. Not searching hard enough, it seemed.

As soon as the elevator dinged open, Sera and Magnus stepped into Ozpin's office. The headmaster himself turned to face them, his eyes widening slightly at the sight of them both.

"Sorry to burst in, Professor, but this is—" Sera said.

"Magnus Mundus. I know. If he's here, then we… have a lot to discuss, Sera," Ozpin sighed and went to sit at his desk, coffee mug in hand.

Sera raised an eyebrow and glanced at Magnus, who shrugged.

"Ozpin, what's going on?" Sera asked. The headmaster glanced at her and turned a monitor on his desk. It was a document with Sera's picture on it. She went to inspect the screen, her eyes slowly widening as she read. It was her. Her past. Her official Shade Academy file, complete with the school's logo stamped at the bottom. Her grades, combat assessments, semblance information, team name and members, everything about her.

Realization turned to anger as she looked up at the headmaster of Beacon.

"You _knew?"_ She demanded. Ozpin gave a grave nod in response.

The amnesiac then paced the area in front of the desk, trying not to punch anything. She huffed angrily and her eyes were wild. She suddenly stopped and turned to Ozpin.

"What, the actual _FUCK,_ were you thinking?!" Sera demanded and slammed a fist onto Ozpin's desk, cracking it. The headmaster remained calm and collected in the face of her rage. All Magnus could do was watch helplessly. But Ozpin's eyes widened momentarily. For just a second, as soon as Sera's fist came into contact with his desk, her irises turned red.

"Your name is Sera Purpura. No parents and no family, but raised by a foster family for most of your life until enlisting to become a huntress. Your Shade team name is team OLMS (Olympus). Nineteen years old with a knack for getting into trouble. Your semblance allows you to stop time anywhere from one second to ten seconds, in your perspective. Your weapon was a red two-handed sword that you forged yourself. I wanted you to discover all of this on your own rather than from me. Qrow knew as well, but do not blame him. I told him to keep it secret. That's why he designed your sword to be the way it is, to resemble your old one as much as possible so that it may trigger something. I truly am sorry, and I do hope you can forgive me. I did it with the best intentions," Ozpin explained.

Sera let out a heavy sigh hung her head. She knew he was telling the truth and that he'd meant every word. She understood why he kept it from her, but she was still angry about it. Then she picked her head up to meet the headmaster's eyes, "Thank you, professor. I know you meant well."

Ozpin nodded in response, relieved. He hadn't realized that he was clutching his mug. Then he remembered something urgent. "I have something else to tell you. Mister Mundus, would you mind waiting outside?"

Magnus looked reluctant to go, but he nodded. Once the door closed, Ozpin's eyes narrowed, "You may want to sit down. This…is going to take a while."

It took nearly an entire hour for him to explain what he needed to say to her. By the end of it, Sera's mouth hung open and her eyes were wide.

"So you're telling me," She said carefully, "That there are four magical Maidens, each representing a season, and one of them has been attacked? And her attacker managed to somehow _take_ some of her power? _And_ you want Pyrrha to somehow become the Fall Maiden in the place of the current one? AND there's some woman named Salem that's trying to wipe out the world as we know it? What the hell, man?!" Sera demanded. Ozpin let out a muted chuckle at her attitude, despite the levity of the situation.

"It's true. And whoever has infiltrated Beacon's student body… we suspect that she's the Maiden's assailant. And that she's planning something else. Most likely soon," Ozpin laced his fingers together.

Sera stood and put her hands on her hips, "This is too much. Why are you telling me this in the first place? Isn't it like top secret like you said?"

"Because," Ozpin took a sip of his now-cold coffee, "I believe you may be able to tip the scales in our favor. Given your semblance, on top of Qrow's report of your latest assignment and all your fighting up to this point, you'd be a great ally to us."

Sera ran her fingers through her hair as she realized something, "That mission wasn't to help me regain my memories. It was to see how I'd do in the field, wasn't it?"

"You've caught me," Ozpin gave a kind smile, "But I was hoping you'd remember something as well. And you did. But I'm still not sure what to make of the end of your dream…"

A thought came out of nowhere to Sera, "This woman, Salem, would you happen to know what she looks like?"

Ozpin picked his head up at the unexpected question, "Well, yes, actually. Chalk-white skin, black veins on her arms and face, white hair, and… glowing red eyes. Instead of the whites of her eyes being, well, white, they're black as night… Why do you ask?"

Sera suddenly sat into the chair behind her and rubbed her temples together. Flashes of memory raced through her mind. She could've sword she'd seen this woman before. Perhaps in a dream…

After a moment, she glanced up to meet the headmaster's eyes, "I could swear I've seen her before, somewhere…"

Ozpin's eyes widened. He would've pressed further, but he could tell she was doing her best to remember.

"Very well. It's almost time for the final, _final_ round of the tournament. I imagine you'd like to get to the coliseum to join your team," Ozpin told her. She nodded and began to stand, then Ozpin added, "But if you remember anything, and I do mean anything, regarding this woman, please tell me."

Sera nodded, then turned to leave. She had no idea what to make of this, but it was far too much information for one day. She decided she'd sleep on it and visit Ozpin tomorrow. Hopefully she'd remember something about that woman, Salem.

If only she'd get the chance to do that.

. . .

She and Magnus went their separate ways, for now. He told her that they'd catch up more later, so that he could tell her more about her past. Before they left each other, Magnus gave Sera her old sword back, insisting that she should take it even though she didn't want to. So now, Sera was making her way back to the coliseum to continue watching the tournament. After a quick call to Yang, she learned that her team was already there.

Sera sighed and gazed down at the weapon in her hands. It was hers, but she felt no ownership towards it. In fact, she much preferred the sword that Ozpin gave her. She'd gotten accustomed to it during her time here, and honestly, this sword was rather ugly compared to Crimson Eclipse. That's another thing. Her new sword had a name. As far as she knew, this one did not. Then another thought entered her mind. Ozpin had said it after he turned his monitor for her to see the evidence of her past. She had a last name.

" _Sera Purpura…"_ She thought to herself wistfully. While it was indeed an odd name to have, she was happy to have it nonetheless.

She then decided to make a stop and deposit her old weapon into her weapon locker, right beside Crimson Eclipse. She also considered changing into her usual white and purple outfit but decided to waste no more time and just stay in her crimson leather coat, black tube top, and leather pants. She adjusted the Omega pin on her lapel and turned to exit the locker room.

When she finally reached the stadium and stepped off of the airship that took her there, the sun was going down. She could hear the crowd and the sounds of fighting, but something was nagging at the amnesiac. She wasn't sure what, but something felt off… Like there was a certain weight in the air.

She turned just in time to spot a short girl with pink and brown hair wearing a medical officer's uniform duck into an emergency airship. Shrugging it off, Sera continued into the stadium.

The original members of team RWBY were watching one of the most intense fights yet. A young man with short brown hair and a black half face mask was fighting a boy with spiky gray hair and clothes to match. The first boy appeared to have prosthetic arms from the elbows down that also served as his weapons. His right eye was scarred and its iris grey, as if he was blind in it. He appeared about 6'3 and had a muscled figure, his form prominent through the skin-tight black shirt he wore. Maroon cargo pants tucked into a pair of black combat boots took up the rest of his attire.

The fight was going well for the tall guy, the gray one, aka Mercury, was barely holding his own. The first guy's arms doubled as guns, the metal folding outward to reveal a high caliber machine gun in both limbs.

The fight was over by time Sera found her team. The tall guy managed to cleanly knock Mercury out of the competition by grabbing an arm with one hand and a leg with the other, then throwing the poor guy off the stage and into the aura shielding.

" _Damn it! That's_ not _how the plan was supposed to go! Argh, if only that blond bimbo fought like was planned!"_ Cinder silently cursed to herself as Mercury fell to the ground beneath the stage.

Sera took a seat beside Weiss and gazed down at the arena, "What'd I miss?"

"That guy _destroyed_ the other guy!" Ruby replied all too happily.

"Thanks for clearing that up, Rubes," Sera laughed.

"Metal Arms knocked Gray off the stage," Blake said.

"Thanks, Blakey," Sera nodded, earning a half-annoyed, half-amused look from the team's Faunus. "Hey, I know that guy! He's the one I met in the hallway. Remember? Prosthetic arms?"

"Yes, we are aware of his prosthetics," Weiss deadpanned. Sera knit her eyebrow at the heiress, "Whatever. That's the guy, though."

The next match was soon called out by Port as the rotating squares came to a halt. Sera grinned up at them once she saw who was about to compete.

"Pyrrha Nikos versus Penny Polendina!" Port announced.

"Ooooh, this is gonna be so good!" Ruby squealed. They looked up to JNPR several rows away from them, but Pyrrha only looked solemn. As if she had the weight of the whole world on her shoulders.

"… _The thing with the Maidens is what's bothering her…"_ Sera thought as her expression turned sad.

"Hello? Sera?" someone said, shaking her from her thoughts.

"Huh?" Sera turned. Yang was waving a hand in front of her face with a grin.

"I said where'd you get that sword?" she asked, pointing at her old weapon.

"Oh! I'll…explain later. Tonight," Sera replied.

"Okay, fine. Now, come on!" Yang said as she took her hand and hauled her out of her seat.

"Where are you going? Aren't you going to watch the fight?" Weiss asked.

"We'll be back soon!" Yang replied as she pulled Sera up the stairs. The poor amnesiac had no idea what was happening.

"Yang, where are we going? Yang!" Sera exclaimed, but the brawler wasn't having any of it. Sera got one last glance at Pyrrha Nikos before the two of them exited the coliseum.

Yang pulled her around a corner and stopped, turning to the white head. "Where'd you go this afternoon?" She asked. Sera raised an eyebrow, "That's what you had to say? You could've asked me that with the others."

Yang rolled her lilac eyes, "Just answer the question, Snowball."

Sera contemplated telling the truth. She decided it could wait until later, "To Ozpin's. He had to talk to me about something. I'll tell you about it later."

"Fine, keep your secrets," Yang grinned. Sera raised an eyebrow, "What's got you so giddy?"

"My fine teammate, what's got me so giddy is this—" Yang said, but then the lights suddenly cut off, and a feminine voice spoke over the loudspeakers.

"What's going on?" Sera asked as she and Yang made their way back to the inner stadium. Yang placed her hand over her mouth when the pair of huntresses saw what was in the middle of the stage. Or rather, _who_ was in the middle.

Sera had never seen her before in her life, but laying in dismembered pieces, was the lifeless body of Penny Polendina. Pyrrha stood over her, looking mortified with her hands over her mouth and tears in her eyes.

Ruby Rose sobbed at the sight of her animatronic friend, and everyone else could only look shocked while the sultry voice of Cinder Fall played through the loudspeakers.

Sera gritted her teeth and clenched her fists at the voice of the woman who was surely behind this. She was speaking as if Ozpin had put his students to commit murder like this, and something about Ironwood as well. About the Atlas military's airships presence during this 'time of peace'. She didn't know who the voice belonged to, but it sounded familiar somehow.

Then a loud banging could be heard from above, and all eyes went upward. A giant Nevermore was pecking at the aura shields that covered the coliseum.  
"It won't last long…," Sera muttered. She took Yang's hand, "Come on!" Then the two ran in the direction of their team.

Cinder's voice stopped coming through the speakers, and everyone had gone into a panic as soon as the Nevermore was spotted. Professor Port and Doctor Oobleck tried to calm the crowd, but it was no use. They were in a frenzy.

Sera and Yang pushed through their fellow students and civilians to reach their friends, but by the time they even got close, the Nevermore got through. Jaune had leapt over the railing and onto the stage to get Pyrrha, but she was still caught in her despair at what had happened.

"How did that thing even get through? Don't we have defenses or something?!" Sera asked.

"It's probably not alone!" Yang replied. Then they reached their destination, but their friends weren't there. The huntress' heads whipped around to see Ruby facing down the Nevermore, holding one of Penny's swords. She was yelling at the thing.

"Ruby!" Yang shouted, but her sister couldn't hear her.

"We need our weapons! If the kingdom is under attack, they'll need our help!" A voice shouted from their right. They turned to see Sun with a distressed look on his face.

A lightbulb went off in Sera's head.

She pulled out her scroll and immediately began tapping the screen. When she was finished, a rectangular grey object crashed to the ground, coincidentally landing on the Nevermore's back.

Sera grinned as the beast was thrown off course before it could plow into Ruby's small form.

The amnesiac vaulted over the railing and landed on the stage in a kneeling position, then sprinted towards her team leader. Yang smiled and followed suit, tapping on her scroll as she ran. Then another locker soared through the sky, then _dozens_ of them. All landing on the Nevermore just as it was trying to get up again.

"Sera!" Ruby exclaimed as the white head leapt towards the Grimm and kicked it in the face. Its beak cracked and it let out a pained crow, but it was still alive.

Then Yang caught up to them and immediately wrapped her sister in a bear hug. Once she set Ruby down, she stuck a finger in her face, "Don't you _ever_ try to do something like that again!"

Ruby smiled meekly in response.

Sera looked over to see Pyrrha still knelt to the ground, with Jaune trying to get the Spartan to her feet.

"I…killed her," Pyrrha said. "Ruby, I'm so sorry…"

Sera winced and knelt beside the red head, "You didn't."

"The woman over the speaker did this," Ruby added with a solemn expression. Sera nodded, "And we're going to make sure they don't do that to anyone else," She said and stood, extending a hand for Pyrrha to take. She reluctantly did, and Sera helped her to her feet. Sera nodded at her, then at Jaune. Then she jumped onto the Nevermore's back to see that dozens of other students were joining them, including Weiss, Blake, Ren, Nora, and all the other teams that competed in the tournament. Even the guy with the prosthetic arms.

Looking out over the sea of huntsman and huntresses, Sera took a deep breath. Usually she'd let Ruby handle the speeches, but she was already up here, and everyone looked to her expectantly. She clenched her fists tight closed her eyes momentarily, her red coat whipping in the wind.

Then she opened her eyes and spoke.

"It looks like the city's under attack. We've just seen that Grimm have gotten through the city's defenses and are likely attacking the civilian population. I intend on finding whoever that was over the speakers and giving her a piece of my mind. I'm not from here, and Beacon isn't the academy I trained at first," She said, gaining curious looks from her team. Students' from Shade eyes widened in realization of who they were looking at. Then Sera took another deep breath and continued, "But it's my home now, and I'll defend it with my life. Now, it looks as though all of our weapons are here, so take arms! I know most of you aren't from Vale either, but I beg you to defend it as I would. But if you want to leave, you'd better do it now. Fair warning though, if you try to, I'll kick all your asses! Now, who's with me?!" She shouted.

Silence.

Yang looked expectantly at Sera to see what she'd say next. Then someone took a step forward. It was Flynt Coal.

"Eh, why not? This is a cool place to kick it, hate to see it burn down."

Then the boy with the prosthetics stepped forward. Then a student from Haven. Then one from Shade. Yang smiled as everyone raised their hands or stepped forward. Sera allowed herself to smile as all the unique-looking students collected their weapons and armed themselves. She then turned to open her own locker and halted. Her eyes flicked between the pair of swords that lay in her locker. After a quick decision, she grabbed the newer weapon and slammed the metal door shut, but not before grabbing her gun belt and putting it on. She considered taking both of the swords and wielding both of them, but it'd be too cumbersome. With a sigh, she turned and jumped down from the Nevermore, who was actually still alive. The large bird tried to snap at Sera, but with a quick blast from nowhere, the creature's head exploded.

"Students," a familiar voice said. Professor Port and Doctor Oobleck were walking towards them, their weapons in hand. "I think it's time for you to leave."

"But—" Ruby started.

"Miss Rose. Today will surely go down in Remnant's history. I would prefer if my students lived to tell about it." Oobleck interrupted.

Reluctantly, the group of students began to jog towards the coliseum exit, leaving team RWBYS.

Ruby nodded with determination, "We won't let you down, professors."

"Doctor," Oobleck corrected.

Sera smirked. She had a sword rested on each of her shoulders. Then her team followed after the other students, leaving the two professors to fight back-to-back against the oncoming horde of Griffons.

"Miss," Port said, and Sera turned to look at the professor's bushy eyebrows knit together. "Do be careful."

"C'mon, this is me we're talking about!" Sera grinned, then ran after her companions.

She and the others quickly reached the airship docks and began boarding airships.

"Half of us will go to Vale, the other half is going to Beacon! Divide and conquer," Ruby said. It was a good idea. The group of students began splitting up to carry out their task, which was to repel all Grimm from the kingdom. Sera looked to see which airship her team was boarding, and thankfully it was the one going to Beacon. She was the last to step onto the Beacon Express, the exit ramp closing up and sealing them in.

After the airship took off, Yang leaned over to Sera, "You did good with the speech back there," She whispered.

"Thanks," Sera smiled gratefully.

"Where'd you get the other sword?" she asked. "Saw it in your locker a second ago."

"Tell you about it later, after all this is over," Sera replied.

After another few moments, Yang whispered again, "Did you mean what you said? About Beacon being your home now?"

Sera turned her head to meet Yang's eyes, "Every word."

The blond smiled, and they returned to standing in silence with the rest of the students. A few seconds later, Sera felt something grab her hand, and she looked down to see that it was Yang's hand. The amnesiac returned the gesture and interlocked their fingers, both of them squeezing tightly.

Then something exploded.

Everyone turned to see that an Atlesian airship had crashed into one of its sister ships, the latter falling to the ground in a fiery inferno.

"What the-?" Coco asked. Voices filled the airship, then Ruby Rose got a determined gleam in her eye. She turned and opened a hatch in the rear of the ship, and before anyone could even process what she was planning, the team leader jumped out.

"Ruby!" Yang exclaimed, her hand letting go of Sera's. Then something that sounded like a rocket could be heard, and the silver-eyed girl could be seen _riding_ a locker towards the Atlesian airships.

Yang everyone else that knew Ruby looked distressed.

"She'll be fine," Sera told her. "She wouldn't have taken off if she didn't think she could handle it."

"Oh please, have you _met_ Ruby?" Weiss asked. Sera nonchalantly kicked Weiss.

"Hey!" the heiress exclaimed.

Yang sighed, "I guess you're right."

"I know I'm right! Now let's get to Beacon so we can get this over with," Sera smiled.

The rest of the flight was rather uneventful, if Sera did say so herself. It took only a few minutes for the bullhead airship to touch down in Beacon's courtyard.

The exit ramp hit the ground and everyone inside the bullhead poured out, weapons at the ready. They were ready to fight, but most of them looked confused as to what to do next.

"So, we're here, what now?" Scarlet of team SSSN asked. Yang then cocked her gauntlets and pointed at Beacon, "We take back our home."

Sera nodded and looked to her team, "Weiss?"

The heiress looked surprised that Sera addressed her, but she quickly regained her composure and stood straighter, "We can't let the Tower fall. Letting that happen means the CCT is compromised. Some of us should fight in the courtyard while others secure the tower." Sera unslung her sword and rested it on her shoulder, "I can handle that. But we shouldn't focus on the CCT right this second. With less fighters in the courtyard, the more likely Grimm could get into the Tower. But if it goes from bad to worse, I'll go up the Tower with some others."

"Just stay around here and hold off baddies? Sounds like a plan," Sun grinned.

The amnesiac nodded and turned to go towards the center of the courtyard. All of her friends, new and old, went with her.

Yang hurried to walk beside her and grinned, "Better cool it there, they're gonna make you the boss." Sera rolled her eyes and smiled, "Un-fuckin'-likely. There are too many team leaders here to name a non-team leader the boss of them."

"You never know," Yang shrugged. "You've got my vote, at least." The amnesiac then raised an eyebrow at her teammate. She turned to her left to see the boy with prosthetic arms jogging to her other side.

"Good speech, if I do say so myself," He said kindly. His face was mostly hidden by the half-mask, but Sera could see the friendly light in his eyes.

"Thanks. It just kinda happened," Sera replied.

"Natural leader, more like. Trust me, I know," He said and patted her on the back lightly. Then he motioned his head towards the oncoming wave of Beowolves and Creeps heading towards them, at least a hundred yards away, "Well, the fight begins. If we survive this, drinks are on me," He said, then began to sprint towards the Grimm.

"Odd guy," Yang commented. She and the others began to follow the guy with their weapons ready, "Yeah, still haven't caught his name," Sera smirked and twirled her sword before running with the weapon held at her side.

Huntsmen and huntresses clashed with the forces of Grimm in Beacon's courtyard. The next few minutes went pretty easily. They dispatched the creatures with ease, and Atlesian knights had even shown up to help. The students panted lightly as the small mounds of darkness littering the ground dissipated into shadow.

Sera grinned and rested her sword on her shoulder as she approached her remaining teammates. Ruby was still off taking down airships or something.

"That wasn't too bad," Blake commented as she loaded a clip into Gambol Shroud. Yang pumped her gauntlet covered fist and grinned, "Yeah, this'll be a piece of cake! Especially with Ironwood's robots helping, right Weiss?"

Weiss nodded with a small and proud smile, "Absolutely. The knights should be able to handle the Grimm pretty easily, especially if its just weaker Grimm like these Beowolves."

Then something happened.

The light in the Atlesian knights' faces flashed to red and they trained their guns on the students.

"…Just had to say something, didn't ya?" Sera deadpanned at Yang and Weiss. Before the two could retort, the knights opened fire.

The huntsmen ducked for cover or attacked the robots, shooting or carving them to pieces to eradicate this new threat. After they were safely dismantled, Weiss said, exasperated, "I don't understand! Why would they be attacking us? They're programmed to attack only Grimm!"

Blake turned to look at the airships in the sky. This incident plus the Atlesian airships turning on each other formed a puzzle in the Faunus's head.

"Atlas forces have been compromised," she said, gaining the attention of everyone present. "What do you mean?" Flynt Coal asked.

"Think about it. The airship turning on the others, then this," She promptly kicked a severed knight's head, "Someone's up there, turning the robots against us."

"But that means—" Weiss said.

"Ruby!" Yang exclaimed and turned to look up at the airships. "I have to get up there!" She tried to make a run for the bullhead they'd taken to Beacon. Yang suddenly halted and looked back to see Sera pulling her back.

"Wait, Yang. Ruby can handle this. If what I'm thinking is right, then it's that Torchwick guy up there. And from what you've all told me from the past semester, Ruby should be able to take him. Besides, we need you here. Your team needs you to fight with them," Sera told her. Yang looked like she wanted to argue, but she sighed and nodded, "Then let's hurry up and finish this. Anything could happen to Ruby up there."

"I know. But you know she'd want you down here with us," Sera gave a lopsided smile.

"Guys, we got more incoming!" Jaune called out. Sure enough, more Grimm were on their way. But this time, Ursai and a Deathstalker were part of the horde. Gripping her sword tighter, Sera looked over the students that stood beside her, then charged.

"Just gonna run in? Just like that? No words of encouragement? Well, alrighty then!" Sun commented before he ran after Sera, the other students following suit.

Sera let out a war cry as she swung Crimson Eclipse into the Ursa leading the charge. Her sword cleaved through its waist and effectively cut its body in two. She quickly cut down as many Grimm as she could, but for every one that she and the others killed, several more took its place. In no time at all, she and her fellow students were surrounded and formed a loose circle. Weiss froze as many Beowolves as she could to the ground and render them immobile, Blake made use of her semblance to trick the creatures or block the attack of a Grimm, and Yang was, well, Yang. She punched down Grimm after Grimm to clear her path.

Everyone else used their weapons and semblances to defeat the opposition. Sun's yellow clones could be seen clashing into Grimm or knocking them aside for the original to annihilate with his staff.

The young man with the prosthetic arms followed Yang's example: punching down the Beowolves, Creeps, and Ursai when they got within range. Several times, his arms folded open for him to cut down the Grimm with their built-in machine guns.

Pyrrha and Jaune fought back to back, each of them using their swords and shields to cut down the Grimm.

Sera was actually having a little fun, despite the dire situation they were all in. She whooped and hollered as she used her sword to dispatch of as many Grimm as she could. With every swing of her weapon, the creatures of darkness fell. She got into a groove as she fought. Slice, dodge, roll, kick, slice, roll, dodge.

She had just cut down a Creep when a loud hiss filled the air. Sera turned to look at the large Deathstalker that crawled towards the group of huntsmen and huntresses on its six legs. Sera smirked and leapt into the air, jumping towards the large insect with her sword raised above her head.

"Woooo-hooooooo!" She shouted as she brought down the weapon onto the Deathstalker's armored exoskeleton. It screeched at the impact, its bone armor chipping under the force of Sera's blow. Using her momentum, the amnesiac launched herself into the air once more in the same manner that Nora does.

She grinned at the apex of the jump, then just as she began to fall towards the ground again, Sera raised her weapon. Crimson Eclipse slashed into the Deathstalker's armored head and created a large gash, but the Grimm still lived. Its red eyes glowed with hatred as it launched its tail towards Sera. She somersaulted to avoid the blow, the yellow stinger stabbing into the concrete.

"Jackpot!" Sera grinned and stabbed the Grimm's tail with her sword. It screeched in pain and dislodged its tail, then tried to stab her again.

"Should we help her?" Weiss asked as she watched Sera fight. Flynt Coal blasted a Beowolf away with his trumpet and turned to see what Weiss was talking about, "Nah, I think crazy bitch got it," He said and pointed at the amnesiac. She was currently jumping around and delivering cuts to the Grimm's armored body.

The fight wasn't going that bad, but Sera's sword could only do so much to the Deathstalker's armor. She probably should've sliced its stinger off rather than stab its tail, but she was well past that point. Just after she delivered another shallow cut to its body, she remembered the Hydra fight. Her sword had clanged uselessly against the monster's leg, but after she loaded the weapon with Dust…

She checked her pockets for any crystals, and came up empty. Her head whipped towards her teammates, towards the one person she knew for a fact had Dust on her.

"Weiss!" she shouted as she evaded another stab from the large stinger.

"What is it?" Weiss called back as she cut down a Creep with her rapier. "Dust! Now! Please!" Sera yelled as she dodged attack after attack from the Deathstalker.

Weiss rolled her eyes and pulled a cartridge from Myrtenaster, "Here!" She shouted and threw it at her teammate. Sera turned just in time to see a yellow Dust cartridge flying towards her at a shocking speed. Who knew Weiss had such a good arm?

Sera's eyes widened slightly as she jumped, spinning in the air and holding out her sword. The Dust cartridge flew perfectly into Crimson Eclipse, and Sera smirked as she landed and flipped the switch on her weapon's hilt. Yellow electricity arced up the blade and casted a glow. Then she looked back at her friends and scanned them until she saw a familiar girl with orange hair and a pink outfit.

"Nora, smash!" she shouted. Nora's head immediately turned towards Sera, and a grin spread across her face. The hammer wielder ran towards them and hefted her weapon. The Valkyrie leapt into the air and raised her hammer, intent on bringing it down on the Deathstalker.

" _STOP!"_ Sera mentally shouted. Just as Nora reached the top of her jump, she and everything else came to a halt. With a smirk, Sera used an Ursa's head as a springboard and jumped towards her friend.

She smiled and pressed the flat of her blade against Nora's stomach, insuring that her sword's electricity would channel into her.

Sera felt a familiar tug in her gut, and everything moved again. Nora's eyes widened and the grin on her face spread further as she felt the sweet electricity. Sera allowed herself to fall and land nimbly on the ground. She looked up in time to hear an extremely loud _CRACK!_ As Nora's hammer collided with the Deathstalker. Needless to say, the red light faded from its eyes as its body melted into darkness.

The Grimm's numbers were beginning to dwindle by now. Surprisingly enough, Atlesian Paladins were beginning to join the party as well. The fight against those didn't go too well. It took a combined effort of all the students to bring down the mechs.

But that's not what drew Sera's attention. She looked up just in time to see Pyrrha and Jaune sprinting towards Beacon Tower, towards Professor Ozpin. The amnesiac began to go after them, but someone stopped her.

She looked back to see Yang pulling her hand back, with Blake and Weiss with her.

"Where are you going?" Weiss asked. Sera had to resist rolling her eyes, "To go with Jaune and Pyrrha. They could need my help!"

"I don't know where they're going, but we're a team. We need to stick together," Blake said.

Sera groaned and tried to pull her arm free, "There's no time! Look, I'll explain later, I promise, but there's more going on than just Vale being under attack! Ozpin needs me and Pyrrha, right now."

They scanned her eyes, which were frantic and filled with worry.

"Fine," Yang said, releasing Sera's hand, "But whatever happens, you better come back."

Sera nodded with a determined gleam in her eye.

"Guys, we could use some help over here!" Neptune called as he fired at a Paladin.

"More Grimm and Knights are showing up!" Yatsuhashi of team CFVY shouted.

Yang, Blake and Weiss readied their weapons, then Yang turned to Sera, "You better get going."

"Right," Sera turned and began to run towards Beacon Tower.

"And Sera?" Yang's voice said. Then as soon as the amnesiac turned to look at her, something warm pushed against her face, her vision was blocked, and a pair of arms wrapped around her body. Warm flesh pressed against her lips as she was held tighter, and her vision swam. She quickly realized that Yang had kissed her.

When Yang finally pulled away from Sera, a deep blush was on her face and Weiss's and Blake's mouths hung open.

"Called it," Blake deadpanned once she collected herself. Sera felt her face heat up as she looked at the blond in front of her.

"You better come back to us, Snowball," Yang told her, shoving a finger into her face.

"Um- Er- Uh… Y-yeah. Sure," Sera's ears felt hot. Yang smiled, the blush still on her face, "Good. Now go do whatever you have to do,"

Sera gave a dazed salute and turned to go towards Beacon Tower. After she was out of earshot, Weiss deadpanned, "So, uh, that happened."

"It sure did," Yang put her hands on her hips.

"CAN WE GET SOME HELP NOW?!" Ren demanded in a not so calm manner.

Sera was in a daze for the next few minutes. She didn't even remember going into the elevator and hitting the button for the lowest floor.

" _She actually did it,"_ She thought, then allowed herself to smile. _"Y'know, that wasn't so bad."_

Then the elevator door slid open, shaking her from her thoughts. Sera gripped her sword and ran forward, into the large chamber. She could make out a few figures standing next to some sort of pod-looking objects, and a single person wearing a red dress with her back to Sera. Jaune and Ozpin faced away from her, looking at one of the pods that appeared to hold Pyrrha inside.

The amnesiac's eyes focused on the odd stance that the woman held, as if she were about to fire a…

"No!" Sera shouted. Too late. The woman let her arrow loose, and it penetrated the glass of one of the pods.

Amber, the Fall Maiden, woke immediately and shakily looked down at the black arrow sprouting from her chest. An orange flow of energy that was being transferred between the pods halted and stopped flowing into Pyrrha. The Spartan pounded on the glass with a distressed look on her face.

The assassin turned just in time to see Sera slam her sword into her chest, sending the woman flying. Sera gritted her teeth and bared down on the Maiden-killer. She'd recognized her instantly as the woman from the clothes store that she and Coco met.

Sera didn't know anything about what was going on in here, but she deduced that Ozpin was going forth with his plan of making Pyrrha the next Fall Maiden. This woman put a stop to that, and the Fall Maiden's power was going into her killer.

But Sera didn't see that. All she saw was the red in her vision as she approached Cinder Fall, sword in hand. She didn't realize that Cinder was gaining the full power of and transforming into a Maiden. All she knew was that this woman just killed someone who had no way of defending herself, and all because of Cinder's selfish lust for power.

"Sera, wait!" Ozpin shouted and threw his hand out. But it was too late. As soon as she swung her sword down to cut the woman in two, Cinder's eyes shot open, a bright orange glow radiating from them. A small explosion sent Sera tumbling across the floor until she stopped herself by impaling Crimson Eclipse into the ground. Cinder floated into the air with her Maiden powers and smiled wickedly down at Sera.

"Oh, I've been waiting for this," She said and raised her open hand at the amnesiac. Before Sera could defend herself, one of the pods flew out of nowhere and collided with Cinder. The new Fall Maiden crashed to the floor, and Pyrrha appeared from behind her, weapons in hand.

"Miss Nikos, take Jaune and Sera and get out of here!" Professor Ozpin shouted, his eyes wild.

"Oz, there's no way—" Sera said. Then she was forced to dodge as a ball of fire flew towards her from Cinder's hand.

"Now!" Ozpin yelled. "Find Qrow, Glynda anyone! The tower _**cannot**_ fall!"

"No way, professor," Sera said as she evaded another blast of fire. Cinder gritted her teeth. This was getting tiresome. But Pyrrha finally followed direction. She picked up Jaune, against his will, and sprinted towards the elevator. Cinder raised her hand to blast them, but Ozpin was faster. He slammed his cane into her and sent the Maiden flying.

"Now, Sera! Go, find your past. I can handle this woman!" He shouted. Sera groaned. She desperately wanted to kick the crap out of this woman, but she felt that she was unevenly matched now, even with Ozpin on her side.

"Fine! But you better be the _only_ one coming up that lift once this is done," Sera told him. The headmaster gave a quick salute, then was forced to evade one of Cinder's attacks. Sera turned and ran after her friends, her red coat and white hair whipping in the wind.

. . .

Blake and Yang were scouring the campus for any survivors. They'd checked their own dorm building already and were now coming up on the cafeteria. What surprised them, however, was that the building was aflame. Not completely, but definitely enough to notice. And a lone man stood inside the cafeteria. He had just cut down an unarmed student, the poor young man's blood pooling around him.

Blake's eyes widened as she began to hyperventilate at the sight of the man. He had red and brown spiky hair, a black suit with a rose decorating the back and where his heart was, a White Fang mask covering his face, and a red katana held in his hand.

"Who's that guy?" Yang asked. Blake didn't respond. Her eyes were wide, and her pupils were tiny.

"Blake?" Yang asked. Then the man turned to see them standing there. A cold smile spread across his face at the sight of his former companion.

"Hello, my darling," he said. Blake nearly took off right there to run for her life, but Yang put a hand on her shoulder, an angered expression on her face.

"And who are you supposed to be?" She asked as she got into a fighting stance.

"Oh? Did Blake here not tell you about me? No, I suppose she wouldn't have. My name is _Adam Taurus."_ He replied smoothly and swiftly sheathed his weapon with expert precision. He took a step forward and Yang cocked her gauntlets, "I wouldn't do that if I were you." She warned. Adam grinned and lunged at them.

. . .

It turns out that Sera had to take the next lift. Pyrrha and Jaune didn't wait for her. Luckily, there was one right beside the one they took, so Sera wasn't too far behind. Once the doors slid open and she exited Beacon Tower, she was met with the sight of a silent Pyrrha and a frantic Jaune.

"What's wrong?" Sera asked as she approached the two.

"Pyrrha's trying to go fight that woman!" Jaune panicked.

"You _what?"_ Sera turned to the red head. Pyrrha only glanced at her in response, "This is my fight."

"No, it's not! If it's anyone's, it's Ozpin's—" Jaune said, then Pyrrha surprised everyone present by grabbing the blonde's head and kissing him.

Sera's jaw dropped, then she noticed the locker that was standing behind Jaune. She glanced back at the two and winced. She'd figured that Pyrrha thought more of Jaune than she let on, and she didn't intend on allowing anything to happen to this new relationship.

That woman, Cinder, knew Sera she was sure of it. She had to know her before she lost her memory. Cinder _knows_ something about her past. And she planned on asking her about it. Soon.

Pyrrha went to shove Jaune into the locker, but everything came to an abrupt halt. Except for Sera.

The amnesiac sighed and took in the image of her two friends from team JNPR and quickly placed both of them within the lone locker. It was a tight fit, but it'd have to do. As soon as she closed the locker, time resumed. Emerald and blue eyes widened as Pyrrha and Jaune realized where they were. They focused on the sight of Sera smiling at them from the other side of the locker door.

"Glad you guys finally found each other," Sera said as she began typing a number into the keypad of the locker.

"Sera, wait-!" Jaune's eyes widened. Pyrrha was too shocked and surprised to realize she could blast the locker apart with her semblance. She could only stare at Sera with wide eyes.

"Take care of each other, will ya? I'll see you two later," Sera gave a two-fingered salute as the locker launched into the night sky.

The purple-eyed huntress smiled as she watched her friends sail away, then a loud roar filled her ears, and she whipped around to see a _giant_ Grimm flying around Beacon Tower.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!"

. . .

The fight against Adam Taurus was going poorly. Blake and Yang were covered in cuts and bruises, which their aura slowly healed. Yang panted as she raised her fists once more. Blake yelled angrily and rushed the Faunus. Adam swiftly unsheathed his katana and sliced the huntress across the stomach.

Blake gasped and dropped Gambol Shroud to the ground. Yang's eyes widened as tears formed in them. Her Faunus teammate dropped to her knees, clutching her stomach with both hands.

"A shame this happened, it really is. But you know that the White Fang will not suffer under the humans any longer," Adam told her. Blake's eyes shakily met his, or rather, the mask that covered them. Then she fell onto her side, the pain from her cut finally getting to her.

Adam smiled and straightened his posture as he sheathed his sword once more.

"YAAAAARGH!" Yang screamed as yellow aura enveloped her body. Her hair blazed as if it were flaming and her eyes glowed with hatred. "YOU BASTARD!" she bellowed as she leapt towards the Faunus. With a smirk, Adam quickly unsheathed his sword, and swung.

The blonde's eyes widened as she felt something slice her body. She hit the ground feeling lighter. Warm liquid touched her arm and soaked into her clothes as it pooled around her. With shaky eyes, Yang looked down to see that her right arm was severed.

Before Adam could finish the job, Blake appeared out of nowhere. Her stomach was covered in burns. She'd used a round of flame Dust to cauterize where Adam's sword cut her.

Blake quickly grabbed Yang and used her semblance to distract her mortal enemy. The two huntresses disappeared through a hole in the cafeteria wall and into the darkness.

Adam Taurus smirked and flicked his katana towards the ground, tossing the blood from it before he smoothly sheathed it into its scabbard.

. . .

Cinder Fall smiled coldly as she watched the Wyvern Grimm crawl up the tall tower from inside Ozpin's office. Everything was going according to plan. Ozpin was dead. The dragon was unleashed, she took the full power of the Fall Maiden, Beacon and Vale had fallen, Grimm filled the streets, and the White Fang attacked every huntsman and civilian they saw. But she didn't know about Ruby Rose ending Roman Torchwick once and for all or Adam Taurus's encounter with Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long.

Cinder watched flames dance between her fingers. Salem would be proud of her accomplishments.

Then the doors behind her exploded. At least, that's what it sounded like. She turned around to see Sera standing in the doorway, the doors broken off of their hinges because of the huntress's foot.

"I don't know who the _hell_ you think you are, lady, but you've crossed _way_ over the line," Sera said as she entered the office. Cinder smiled and allowed Sera to approach. The huntress unsheathed her sword and held it at her side with one hand.

"Is that any way to treat an old friend?" Cinder asked.

"Shut your hole," Sera shot back. Cinder frowned and willed a ball of flame to appear in her hands. "Come now, wouldn't you like to know who you are? Where you're from? Your parents? How about those eyes of yours?"

Sera hesitated.

Cinder smiled and took her chance. She launched the flame towards Sera. The energy collided with her chest and the amnesiac was sent flying backwards. Her purple aura flickered as she got to her feet.

"Oh, _that's_ it," Sera growled and charged Cinder. She swung her sword towards the Maiden, but two black swords appeared out of nowhere and deflected the blow. Cinder had summoned the blades seemingly out of thin air. Sera gritted her teeth and dislodged her sword, then swung again. And again. And again. Each swing was met by Cinder's swords blocking the blows. But the force of the attacks was making the Maiden step back to get more room.

Knowing that she was outclassed in terms of swordplay, Cinder leaped backwards and willed a bow to appear in her hands. Sera was forced to go on the defensive as the Maiden shot arrow after arrow in her direction. She barely managed to deflect the arrows with her sword, but she was getting the hang of it. Sera grinned and quickly flipped Ozpin's desk towards Cinder.

Cinder did exactly as the amnesiac expected. She blasted the desk to cinders, pun intended, and her eyes widened when she was met by Sera crouched on one knee, her weapon's rifle form in her hands.

"Jackpot," Sera smirked and fired. The Dust round collided with Cinder's chest, and the Maiden's body shook as the electricity of the Dust coursed through her body.

"YAAAGH!" Cinder suddenly screamed, and a large blast of fire shot from her body.

" _Uh-oh,"_ Sera thought. The top floor of the tower exploded, blasting the roof off and leaving only the bare floor of Ozpin's office. Cinder's eyes literally blazed as she glared at Sera with pure rage.

"You wanna know _why_ you're here? Why you have no memory? Why your eyes change like that? Why your precious Ozpin refuses to tell you about it?" Cinder demanded. Sera got to her feet and raised her sword, "I don't care! I don't care who I once was, or how I lost my memory. I'd rather be who I am right now than be obsessed with who I once was. Because this, Beacon, and everyone in it, is my home," Sera replied as she charged. Cinder easily dodged her sword's attack and smirked.

"That's a lie and you know it! The only reason you're even alive is because you're too damn stubborn to die! Do you even realize how long I've been in your life? I've watched you since you were a girl! I had to sneak into Shade's student body just to spy on you more. And it's all been because of _her,"_ Cinder shouted. Sera's sword landed a hit. The Maiden gasped and floated back.

Sera rested her sword on her shoulder, "I told you I don't give a _fuck_ about any of that. All I care about is that you invaded my home, and you're going down for that," She said, then felt a familiar tug in her gut. Cinder's eyes widened, but it was far too late. Everything around Sera came to a dead stop. Wasting no time at all, Sera rushed forward. She delivered a flurry of stabs and cuts to Cinder's body.

" _That's for Ozpin!"_ She brought her sword down on her shoulder.

" _That's for Beacon!"_ Her sword sliced her stomach.

" _That's for all my friends!"_ She kicked her in the side. She didn't realize it, but her irises had turned red and sclera darkened until they were as black as midnight.

" _And this is just because I want to!"_ Sera mentally shouted as she sheathed her sword and proceeded to German suplex the Fall Maiden.

As soon as she got to her feet, she felt that time would resume soon. Just before it did, she got an idea. Smirking, she rested her sword on her shoulder. Cinder's eyes widened and she made a pained grunting sound as she clumsily got to her feet.

"You'll pay for that," Cinder seethed as both her arms blazed with fire.

"Maybe. But not before I perform my next trick. Wanna see?" Sera asked, then made a show of pulling her sleeves from her wrist one at a time. "Nothing up this sleeve. Nothing up this one either. So what could I be hiding?" Sera gave a knowing smirk. Cinder's eyes narrowed and she tightened her jaw.

"And without further ado," Sera bowed so far down that her hair touched the ground. Then she wasn't there anymore. Cinder looked around her wildly to find the amnesiac, _'Damn it, she's using that semblance again…!'_

Then the huntress appeared out of nowhere, "Time stop with a punch!" She shouted and clocked the Maiden. Then Sera disappeared again. _'The hell is she up to?'_

"Time stop with a kick!" Sera kicked her in the gut from the opposite side.

"Time stop with another kick!" Another kick was delivered from behind Cinder.

"Time stop with an elbow!" Sera elbowed the Maiden in the face. Cinder could do nothing but endure the onslaught of blows that Sera was delivering to her. The huntress was using her semblance to relocate herself and blindside the orange-eyed woman.

"Time stop with knee!" She shouted and used her knee to hit Cinder square in the forehead.

' _This is getting annoying! But…she's sloppy. She's been attacking with the same pattern. From the front, then side, then back, then repeat. If I could just…'_

"Time stop with a- gurk!" Sera was interrupted by Cinder raising her hand and blasting the huntress in the face with fire.

"Would you _shut up?"_ Cinder growled and towered over Sera. The amnesiac panted heavily as she got to her feet. Her chest was heaving, and she glared at the Maiden, _'Too slow on that one… I knew doing it one more time was pushing my luck. Still got the last laugh, though,"_ She chuckled to herself. Cinder glared at the girl and raised a hand that burned with energy. Sera spread her arms, accepting that she was about to be blasted to ash.

Then something dawned on her. She'd made a promise to a certain blond girl with anger issues.

The ball of flame flew towards Sera. Her fists tightened, and she let out a defiant scream. Then the projectile immediately dissipated against a wall of purple aura.

Cinder's eyes widened when she looked at Sera's face. Not only were her eyes black and red, but her purple aura was visible around her body, and her skin had turned completely pale, save for black veins that webbed on either side of her face.

Sera glared at Cinder and stumbled. The Maiden quickly regained her composure and let out a low chuckle that soon turned into full-on laughter. The amnesiac raised an eyebrow.

"That's it!" Cinder shouted. "Embrace your parentage!" Unbeknownst to them, a certain adorable scythe wielder was running up the side of the tower on white glyphs formed by the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company.

Sera blinked. What was she talking about? She looked down at herself, and nearly jumped out of her own skin. She raised her hands in front of her face, turning them around to look at the fronts and backs. Black veins ran out of her coat's sleeves and covered the back of her hands. Even her fingernails had turned black.

"W-what?" She muttered. Then a sharp pain went through her body. Her limbs tensed and her eyes widened as she shakily looked down to see a black sword stuck halfway into her gut. Cinder smiled and grabbed Sera's shoulder before she could fall. Crimson blood spilled onto the concrete below them. The amnesiac gasped and she clamped onto Cinder's shoulder with one hand and put the other on her stomach just below the sword.

"Wanna know the truth?" Cinder whispered into her ear. Sera's eyes were wide, and her body shook as shock overtook her. "The truth is that you're just a nobody who was lucky enough to be born with power. You inherited it from the immortal sorceress, and by my hand, I take it away." Then Cinder pulled Sera closer, forcing the rest of her sword through the amnesiac's body to the hilt. Sera's eyes were as big as dinner plates and her mouth was hung open in a silent scream. Cinder pushed Sera off, allowing her to crumple to the floor as her body visually returned to normal. Her eyes changed to purple and her skin tone became livelier until her usual light tan returned, only for it to immediately begin paling again from blood loss.

Cinder smiled down at the amnesiac maliciously as her right arm began to darken and become skinnier, her fingers turning into claws. Sera's eyes widened further at the woman's arm. She tried to ask her what the hell was up with it, but she was preoccupied with bleeding out on the tower's rooftop.

Just when Cinder's changed arm launched towards Sera, Ruby Rose jumped over the side of the tower, and her silver eyes widened. She saw her teammate laying on the ground, a vicious stab wound in her abdomen, and Cinder Fall standing above her. Sera's eyes screamed at Ruby to run, run as far as she could and forget about her. She couldn't speak, so instead she motioned with her head and stared at her desperately.

Tears filled Ruby's eyes, then her eyes flashed brightly, lighting up the entire night sky, "SERA!" She screamed.

"WHAT?!" Cinder demanded just before the light consumed her.

Sera's final thoughts before she blacked out were of her time at Beacon, with Qrow, her team. Then the image of a woman's pale face filled her vision. Her glowing red eyes and black sclera piercing right through her. _'At least I could save Pyrrha and Jaune…'_

. . .

Qrow Branwen reached the top of Beacon Tower to find three things: one, Ozpin's office completely destroyed. Two, the giant Wyvern Grimm frozen in midair, its body gray as if it were made out of concrete. And three, Sera and his niece unconscious. Except Sera had a very obvious stab wound with a steady flow of blood coming from it.

The huntsman's eyes widened as he dropped his sword and fell to his knees. It'd finally happened, Ruby had awakened her silver eyes.

Sera had awakened a power within her as well, but the only people who knew that were Sera and the new Fall Maiden.

Recovering his wits, Qrow picked up his weapon and sheathed it, slung Ruby over his shoulder, and carefully picked Sera up princess-style. Her blood stained his shirt, but he could care less. The Branwen twin walked as quickly and carefully as he could to the elevator. He knew that the elevator was dangerous right now, but he had to risk it. Sera was bleeding out, both her nieces were out of commission, and Beacon was lost. He was doing the best thing he could come up with. Going home.

By time the huntsman had reached the airships in Beacon's courtyard, Sera was looking awfully pale. All color had drained from her face and she shivered in her unconsciousness.

Yang still lay on the ground where she'd been put on a blanket. A bandage was wrapped around what remained of her arm after Adam Taurus was done with it. But the white blanket next to her was empty. Blake was gone.

Weiss was still there, though. She wore a worried expression as she gazed down at Yang.

Whenever the heiress spotted Qrow, her eyes widened, and she got to her feet. A worried expression was plastered on her face as Qrow gently laid Sera down on the spot where Blake had lay.

"Is she…?" Weiss asked. Qrow looked up to meet her eyes, "Just unconscious, but she will be if she doesn't get help soon," He said as he laid Ruby down right beside Yang.

"Stay with them, I'm going to find a medical kit or a paramedic. If you see a woman in a red dress, well, just hope she doesn't show up," Qrow said, then knelt beside Sera. He took the heiress's hands and pressed down onto her stab wound. Weiss looked like she'd rather be anywhere but there, but she kept her hands there.

"Keep pressure there if you want her to live," Qrow told her, then took off. He was back in mere minutes, holding a plastic red case in his hand.

"I-I think the bleeding stopped," Weiss said, tears running down her cheeks. Qrow nodded and began to dress the wound, pulling Sera's coat apart and cleaning the stab as best as he could. He quickly cleaned it until he was satisfied and wrapped a bandage around her torso. She'd get better medical attention later, but for now, this was the best he could do.

Sera let out a sigh in her sleep as the color slowly returned to her face. Qrow exhaled with a small smile, "There. That'll hold till the real help gets here."

Weiss nodded as she gazed down at Sera's sleeping face. She seemed more comfortable now, even slightly restless.

Then something caught the heiress's eye. A white airship with the SDC logo emblazoned on the sides. Weiss's eyes widened as uniformed men exited the airship and took off in her direction.

"No…" She choked back a sob. She knew why they were here. They were to take her home. Qrow picked his head up and looked behind him to see the Schnee Dust Company security marching towards them.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" The Branwen asked as they approached him and Weiss.

"Schnee Dust Company official business. We've come to take Miss Schnee back to Atlas," The one in charge told him.

"You can't just—" Qrow started to argue.

"It's fine, Mister Branwen," Weiss sighed. "I'll go with them. Even though I badly wish to stay here and make sure my friends are all right, I know you're more than capable of taking care of them. You care deeply for your nieces, and you treat Sera nearly as well."

The SDC employees seemed pleased with her answer. Weiss stood, her hands and the front of her combat skirt bloody, and followed her family's employees towards the airship. Just before stepping onto the ship's boarding ramp, she turned to look at the huntsman once more. "Contact General Ironwood and get me the _hell_ out of Atlas as fast as you can." Then the ramp closed, and the airship lifted into the sky.

Qrow looked down at Ruby clutching onto Yang in her sleep, then at Sera. Her chest rose and fell rhythmically.

"What do I do with you, I wonder?" Qrow mused as he set Crimson Eclipse next to its owner.

. . .

Horrible images flashed through Sera's mind in her state of unconsciousness. She saw herself fighting Cinder, Ruby fighting for her life atop a large airship, and the sight of Yang's arm being sliced off by a stranger with a katana.

She was in a constant state of going between sleep and barely being awake. She was vaguely aware of her surroundings, but she was never conscious for very long to make sense of it. One thing that was a constant factor, however, was the stinging pain in her torso.

Sometimes she heard Qrow's voice, sometimes she even saw his face while he sat in a chair next to her. She saw the face of a blond man with facial hair and a tattoo on his shoulder.

"This is the girl?" an unfamiliar voice asked from beside her. The man was holding a straw in her mouth while she unconsciously drank from a bottle of water.

"Yup," a gruff voice replied. "The fifth member of your daughters' team."

"There's something…off about her. She should've died from the amount of blood she lost, but she's pulling through."

The familiar, gruff voice chuckled, "About that. You remember that, um, _offspring_ I told you about?"

A moment of silence.

"Qrow, you can't be serious," The other voice said in disbelief.

"I am, Tai. She's hers." Qrow responded. Then Sera blacked out again.

The next time she awoke, she was actually awake. Her violet eyes shot open and she sat bolt upright. Which hurt, a lot. She winced and clutched her abdomen with both hands. She then looked down to see that her torso was wrapped in bandages, going from one shoulder all the way down to just above her belly button. Sera let out a pained groan as she looked around to see where she was.

She was laying in a large bed inside a wooden room. Sunlight poured in from the windows and shone on the floor. A single doorway was at the opposite side of the room. She decided she wanted to get to it.

Sera winced as she threw the green blankets off of her and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She stood, nearly falling as soon as her feet hit the wooden floor. She clutched her gut with one hand as she stumbled towards the door, leaning onto the wall for support. She looked down to see that she was wearing her pajama pants from Beacon, which was a comforting thought. Then it was ruined by her realizing that someone had to change her into said pajamas.

The amnesiac groaned as she finally reached the door. She poked her head out and looked down both sides of the hallway to see a stairwell leading down to her right. She exited the room and made her way to it.

Going down the stairs had to be the hardest thing she's ever done. She almost fell several times, and pain jolted up her body with each step. When she finally made it to the bottom, she looked to see that she was now in what appeared to be a living room. A green couch sat on the floor facing a large hologram of what she assumed was a news report.

"…Still no word on the situation inside Vale. The CCT has gone down and has stopped all communication devices from working all over Remnant. Back to you, Gavin."

Movement was heard from her right, so she turned her head to see another doorway that seemed to lead into a kitchen. Sera limped her way towards it and entered, leaning onto the doorframe for support. She was met by the familiar face of Qrow and the blond man that helped her drink the water.

Their eyes widened when they saw her and Qrow nearly dropped his coffee mug.

"Hey," Sera winced as she turned to lean her back against the doorframe. "You look like you've seen a Gheist."

"How- What the- What're you doing out of bed?" the blond asked. He seemed familiar, somehow, but Sera couldn't place it.

"Figured I could go for a run," Sera gave a breathless chuckle as she went to sit at the table that stood in the center of the kitchen.

"Kid, you shouldn't be up." Qrow told her. Sera sighed and rested her head in her hands, "Yeah, well, what can ya do? I wasn't going to just sit up there."

"Still. You were hurt pretty bad, you know." Qrow said, more gently this time.

"Miss?" The other man asked. "What's the last thing you remember?" Sera sighed and sat back in her chair, a hand still on her injury. She reached across the table and grabbed Qrow's coffee mug. Before he could stop her, she brought it to her lips and took a sip. Her eyes widened as she choked down the liquid. Her chest felt warm as the alcohol passed through her body. Qrow chuckled nervously, "Tried to warn you."

Sera gave him a look as she passed the mug back to him. Then she cleared her throat and sat back again, her arm rested on the back of the chair. "Well, we have a new Fall Maiden." She said, then went on to explain the events that happened after she entered the Maiden's chamber. Except for the part of her body changing into something she barely recognized. By the time she was finished, Qrow had finished his mug.

"Not good. Not good at all. If that woman is the new Fall Maiden, then we have a seriously bad situation on her hands." The blond said as he crossed his arms.

"What about what she said, about my 'parentage'?" Sera asked. Qrow and Tai looked at each other, then the Branwen twin sighed.

"Kid, it's not good. I'll tell you that."

"Well pitter patter, spit it out." Sera told him. She was feeling anxious about what the huntsman was about to tell her.

"You're gonna need this," the blond man said and placed a bottle of liquor in front of Qrow.

"Sera," Qrow said, and she perked up. That was the first time he addressed her using her name. "You remember when Ozpin and I told you about the Maidens, and the woman who wanted to destroy the entirety of the human race?"

Sera nodded, "Salem. Some evil chick."

"Right, right." Qrow said as he poured liquor into his mug. Sera was already piecing together what he was about to tell her. But she still refused to believe anything of the sort.

"Well, she's kinda…sorta…your mother," Qrow said carefully. Sera gazed down at the tablecloth. She didn't know how to feel. How else were you supposed to react when you're told that your mom is some evil bitch who wants to destroy everyone?

"Does she happen to have white hair, like mine, extremely pale skin, red eyes, black veins, and black sclera? Or the part of your eye that's white, if you didn't know." Sera asked, but she didn't say that last part all matter-of-factly like she normally would.

"How do you know that?" The blond man asked. Sera took a deep breath and looked down at her own hands, remembering seeing black veins and white skin.

"When I was fighting Cinder, I sort of… changed. It was more than just my eyes," She said, looking at Qrow. "My skin turned white as snow, my fingernails, some veins, and the whites of my eyes turned black. I can still _feel_ the red in my irises. It felt…good. I wasn't tired anymore, and my aura was so strong that I could see it without flaring it on purpose. Cinder's fireball did nothing to me. I felt…powerful. Then I saw what I'd turned into, and the fight was over." Sera said, still gazing at her hands, as if they'd turn white any second now.

"That's…a bit of a shocker, if I'm being honest." The blond said.

Sera allowed herself a small smile, "That's an understatement." Then another thought emerged in her head. "What about the school? Is everyone okay?"

Qrow looked down sadly, "Vale's lost, kid. Grimm completely took it over. There was nothing we could do."

She then grabbed the tall bottle of liquor and knocked it back, taking a _long_ swig of the bitter liquid and leaving the two huntsmen before her with wide eyes. More warmth spread throughout her chest as she sighed and returned the bottle. The alcohol burned her throat and sat uncomfortably in her stomach, but she didn't care.

Sera stared at the table below her. Beacon was…lost? What about all the students, faculty, and civilians? What about…

"Where is my team?" Sera asked sternly. Qrow sighed and sipped from his cup. "Ruby and Yang are upstairs. Blake… I dunno, she's gone. Weiss was taken back to Atlas." He said, then smirked. "She saved your life, y'know. Stopped your bleeding while I went to get help."

Sera's eyes widened at his words. Weiss saved her?

The amnesiac felt tears welling up in her eyes, and she quickly wiped them away. "Can I see Ruby and Yang?"

"It's best if you wait a bit for that. It's probably best that you don't tell them about your little, ah, 'transformation'," The blond told her. Sera's eyes turned to him, seeming to fully acknowledge him for the first time. "Sorry, who're you?"

"Oh! I'm sorry. I'm Tai. Taiyang Xiao Long." He replied.

"Yang's dad?" Sera presumed. Tai smiled, "And Ruby's." He said. Sera nodded and returned her gaze to the table. After a moment, Qrow spoke up, "Grabbed this for you before we left." She looked up to see the huntsman pull her suitcase from where it was leaning against a wall. It looked full, packed to its limits.

Sera's eyes widened as she saw the suitcase. Crimson Eclipse was strapped to the front of it. She looked at Qrow gratefully, "…Thank you, Qrow."

"Eh, no problem. Gotta tell you though, all those new clothes you bought? Nearly couldn't get em all in here." He joked and returned the suitcase to where it was.

Then Sera stood, wincing in pain. "How long am I to be here?"

"As long as it takes for you to feel yourself again," Tai approached her with a kind expression on his face. "I know what you've been through, and I know what you've done for my daughters. You're welcome to stay here for as long as it takes. Thank you, Sera. I…know that it hasn't been easy, trust me."

Sera regarded the man and stuck her hand out. "No, sir. Thank you for all your help. A pleasure to meet the father of the girls that welcomed me without question. Your daughters have been more than amazing for me during my time at Beacon."

Tai took her hand and shook it. After their hands returned to their sides, he told her, "You can go see them now, if you want. But… Yang… Isn't the same." His expression turned sad. A sense of worry immediately grew within Sera's chest.

"How?"

. . .

Sera peeked inside of Yang's bedroom to see the blond staring out the window beside her bed. The amnesiac stumbled inside, clutching her abdomen, and smiled at her teammate. That smile soon morphed into horror as she got a look at Yang's right side.

Sera fell to her knees as tears formed in her eyes. Yang turned her head towards the white head and allowed herself a smile.

"Hey."

"Hey," Sera said.

"Get off the floor, you're embarrasin' me." Yang chuckled sadly. Resisting the urge to cry out in pain, Sera somehow got to her feet and went to sit on the edge of Yang's bed.

"What…what happened?" Sera asked, her eyes on Yang's severed limb. The brawler's expression turned sad and she looked down.

"It was my own fault. I was stupid and should've seen that attack coming. Blake… Blake did her best." She replied.

A tear trailed down Sera's face as she took Yang's left hand into her own. "I'm so sorry," She said.

"Don't be sorry. It's nowhere close to being your fault." Yang told her sternly. Sera looked up to meet her eyes, "But if I just stayed with you—"

"Shh. You had other places to be. This…" She lifted her severed limb slightly. "Is my fault." Sera gripped her hand tighter and looked down. She couldn't meet her eyes.

"Enough about me," Yang chuckled dryly. "What happened to you?"

Sera laughed and wiped a tear away, "You should see the other guy."

"Do tell," Yang said. Sera gave her usual grin. She went on to once again describe her fight against Cinder, making sure to not mention the whole skin turning pale and eyes turning red thing.

Yang smiled or laughed when Sera described the more comical things during the fight, but her expression was dead serious when she got to, y'know, being stabbed.

"Holy Dust, Sera…" She said finally. Sera nodded, "Yeah. Crazy, right?" Yang met her eyes, "That's an understatement."

The amnesiac let out a laugh, "I said something similar earlier to your dad." Yang's eyes then widened, "Oh, Dust. You met my dad." She said.

"Yeah, he's pretty cool, actually." Sera responded. "Reminds me of you." A small smile played on Yang's lips as she looked at Sera.

"Yang, where did Blake go?" She asked. Yang's expression soured and she looked down, her fists clenching the blanket in her lap.

"Blake ran."

Sera blinked. "She what?"

"Blake. Ran. After this," She looked at her stump. "She took me back to the airships and ran. Poof. Without a trace."

"There has to be some sort of reason, she wouldn't just—" Sera reasoned.

"Well, she did!" Yang suddenly shouted; her eyes momentarily flashing red. Sera lowered her gaze to Yang's legs.

After a moment, the blond sighed. "Look, I'm not feeling too hot. I need some rest." Taking the hint, Sera got to her feet and made her way towards the door. Just before she left, she stopped and turned her head back to Yang. Taking in one last look of her blond teammate, Sera remembered what Yang had done just before they split up at Beacon. The white head left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Told you she wasn't doing too well," a voice said. Sera looked left to see Taiyang leaning against a wall with his arms crossed. "C'mon, I'll get you a cup of coffee."

Sera followed Tai back downstairs and sat at the kitchen table once more, the two of them sitting across from each other. Qrow stumbled in as well, taking the seat to Sera's right.

She was looking out the sliding glass door that led outside, holding a steaming mug of coffee with both hands. After nearly a full minute, she finally broke the silence.

"What's the plan?"

"For now? We regroup and lick our wounds. Figuratively, of course. Huntsmen and huntresses are spread thin, and with the CCT down, there's no way to communicate with others quickly enough. We wait. _You_ need to take it easy. Get your strength back. You're no use to anyone with an injury like that, so just relax for a while." Tai told her.

Sera scowled. "I can't just sit here—"

"You can and you will." Qrow spoke up, his eyes narrowed at her. "Look kid, you took a hard hit. Now it's time to take it easy. You're in the same boat as Yang, just about. So both of you are going to _stay here_ until you're better."

Sera rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair, leaving her mug on the table.

"Cinder's out there—" She began, but Qrow interrupted her again. "Injured even worse than you are, if my guess is correct." Sera only stared at him with a look of confusion on her face. Last time she checked, she was the one who got stabbed. Not Cinder Fall.

"What are you talking about?"

"You're not the only one who _awakened_ something within you, Snowball. What else do you remember from the Tower?" Qrow asked with a small smirk. Sera racked her brain, trying to remember something that could tell her what he was telling her. Then her eyes slowly widened in realization.

"Ruby." She said, remembering her silver eyes giving off a blinding white light. Qrow nodded, "That's right. That dragon that was flying around? It's currently frozen as if it were made out of cement. Ruby's special. And not in a way that everyone says that a kid is 'special'. No. Those silver eyes of hers? That's a sure sign of being part of the Silver Eyed Warriors."

"The who to the what now?" Sera blinked. Tai chuckled.

"Silver eyes. Ancient warriors whose eyes gave them special powers. And Ruby's a descendant of them, just like her mom." Tai said.

"So basically…this adorable little girl is some sort of super huntress?" Sera asked, pointing at a picture of Ruby as a little girl. They nodded in response. The purple-eyed huntress sipped from her coffee. "Learn something new every day," She said as she stared into her mug.

"I know, trust me. She has a lot to live up to. And dark times ahead of her. But honestly?" Qrow said then took a swig from the bottle of liquor. "You two are our best shots at taking out Salem. You, her daughter. Ruby, a descendant of the Silver Eyes'."

Sera returned her gaze to the table. What has she gotten into? With a sigh, she stood, still holding her stomach. "I'm going for a walk."

"That's not the best idea. You're hurt." Tai told her, his fatherly instincts kicking in.

"Then I'll take Ruby with me, since Yang's in a mood." Sera said bitterly as she made her way towards the staircase, grabbing her suitcase with her free hand.

Tai started to go after her.

"Don't," Qrow said, halting him. The father of Ruby and Yang turned to him with an incredulous look. "This is a lot to take in. Let her go be with Ruby. After all, my nieces, your daughters, are the people she trusts most in the world."

Tai nodded with a defeated look. He gave one last look at Sera, climbing the stairs with a slightly pained expression.

The amnesiac went into the first bathroom she could find. She checked her reflection above the sink after splashing water into her face, staring into her own eyes as if they'd turn black and red at any second. Her eyes then scanned her own body, lowering to the spot where she'd been run through with a sword. She touched the wound gently and immediately winced.

With a sigh, she opened her suitcase and pulled out a pair of black pants, a black belt, a black tank top, her combat boots, and the red coat she wore during the Fall of Beacon. A narrow hole was located on the back of the leather, where Cinder's sword exited her body.

She quickly, and painfully, changed clothes. Once she was done, Sera stepped out of the bathroom and carefully made her way towards what she deduced was Ruby's room. If the roses decorating the door weren't any indication.

Gently knocking on the door, she cracked it open to see her team leader laying in her bed with an expression of longing. That expression changed when she saw who entered her bedroom.

"Sera!" Relief spread across her face. "You're finally awake!"

"I'm glad to see you too- Wait, what do you mean finally?" Sera asked as she entered the room.

"You've been out cold for nearly a week!" Ruby responded, getting up from her bed.

" _What?_ " Sera demanded. "They never told me tha- Gurk!" Sera suddenly choked as Ruby wrapped her small arms around Sera's chest, squeezing the life out of her.  
"Ow, ow! Ruby!" Sera exclaimed, her stab wound flaring with sharp pain.

"Sorry!" Ruby gasped and pulled away. "It's just… I've been worried." Sera smiled lightly, "Don't worry about it." Then it was her turn to pull Ruby into a hug, this time avoiding the painful injury in her gut. The team leader melted into the embrace and hugged her back.

After they separated, Sera took Ruby by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes, "So, what happened after you took off on that locker?"

The dark-haired girl went on to explain how she'd single handedly put an end to Roman Torchwick's schemes and used Weiss's glyphs to run up the side of Beacon Tower. During the story, they'd gone to sit on the edge of Ruby's bed.

"A griffon did _what?"_ Sera asked. Ruby gave a small smile, "Ate him. In one bite. It was kinda terrifying."

"I bet! Perfect timing though, from what you say." Sera smiled warmly. She was glad that Ruby hadn't been hurt during the attack.

"So… What happened with you? How'd you, uh…" She asked, gesturing to Sera's midsection. With a muted sigh, the amnesiac explained for the third, and hopefully final, time what had happened. She told her about pushing Jaune and Pyrrha into a locker, fighting Cinder, her own…transformation, then finally, being stabbed.

Ruby's mouth hung open when she was finished. She tried to speak but couldn't quite get the words out. The young huntress took a deep breath to calm herself, then she exclaimed, "YOU DID A CONTANT TIME STOP THINGY?!" Sera laughed at the reminder of her little trick.

The amnesiac smiled and got to her feet. "Wanna go on a walk? I could use it. Plus you could show me around your stomping grounds."

Ruby's eyes lit up and she began to zip around the room at the speed of light. In no time at all, she was dressed in her usual red and black outfit, her hood sitting on her shoulders.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go!" Ruby suddenly took her hand and ran out of the door. Sera had to resist crying out because of her injury, but she held it in for Ruby's sake.

Yang watched out her window as Sera and Ruby walked down the dirt path leading to their house and into the green forest. The blond sighed and returned her gaze to her lap. She wished she wasn't feeling like this. The sense of sheer hopelessness and helplessness.

Then she looked out the window again to see Sera's grinning face disappear behind a tree. She gave a small smile as she remembered when she'd pulled the purple-eyed girl into a kiss.

Yang then reached under her nightstand and pulled out a small wooden case that she'd gotten from some weapon shop Coco told her about.

Maybe things will be better than she thought.

. . .

"Oh, this is where I found my first Grimm! Ooh this is the spot that Yang and I used to play at! And there's the lake! We used to swim in it all the time! And look over, that's…! Well, that's just a stump, but- Oh, our old tire swing!" Ruby rattled on, pulling Sera through parts of Patch's forest near their house. After reaching a certain clearing, the silver-eyed girl's expression turned sad. Sera raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"…Come on. I want you to meet someone." Ruby said with longing, then began to walk across the clearing. They reached a beautiful cliff side with a great view. But what caught Sera's eye was the lone grave marker with a rose engraved on the front.

Ruby approached it and gave a sad smile, Sera following her. Once they got close enough, the amnesiac could read the name. Summer Rose.

"Hey, mom," Ruby said. "It's been a while. A… a lot has happened in the past few days. But that's not the important right now." Then the young huntress looked back at Sera with a smile, a single tear trailing down her cheek. She returned her attention to the headstone, "I want you to meet Sera. The newest addition to team RWBYS. She's the strongest huntress I know, besides you of course. I know if you were here right now, you'd like her as much as I do. Tough as nails and she can back up the nonsense she spits out."

Sera had to resist saying, "Hey!" But she bit her tongue.

"Yang's not doing too well. She…she lost something, and I'm not sure if she'll come back from it. I… I miss you. You'd know what to do right now. I know Dad and Qrow miss you too, maybe more than I do. But don't worry, they have me and Yang to focus on. We'll make sure they don't get into any trouble." Ruby said with chuckle. "I gotta go now. But I promise I'll come back soon." Then Ruby turned away from the cliff and faced her teammate. Tears trailed down both sides of her face as she stepped away from the headstone and in the direction they came from.

Sera stepped forward, her eyes on the rose engraving. She sighed shakily and got to one knee. "Hi, Miss Rose. I'm Sera. Sera Purpura." At this, Ruby turned to look at her. Sera hasn't told anyone about Ozpin finding out who she was yet. "I woke up without knowing who I was sometime ago. Ruby's uncle found me and brought me to Beacon, where I met your daughters. Though I know Yang isn't technically yours. Point is, I didn't have anyone to turn to, but Ruby and Yang were there. Weiss and Blake, too, but you don't know them. I'm glad to know your family. Without them, I probably would've died in that forest. So… thank you. And don't worry, I'll watch out for both of your hot-headed daughters. Qrow too, but I might have to kick his butt to keep him in line." Sera chuckled, then stood.

Then something strange happened. A warm breeze blew through the small clearing, lightly blowing Sera's hair and her coat.

"I promise," She said, then turned away. Ruby was staring at her with an unclear expression. Sadness? Joy? It was hard to tell. But then the young huntress rushed forward and hugged Sera again.

"Thanks for that," She told her. Sera smiled down at the slightly shorter girl and hugged her back. "Hey, someone's gotta watch over you two when Qrow's not around."

They separated, and Ruby began to fidget slightly. "Sera, I've got something to tell you."

Sera raised an eyebrow, her eyes searching Ruby's face.

"So, JNPR had this idea about going to Mistral…"

 _ **Wow, that was a long chapter. Almost 20,000 words! Go me. But yeah, Pyrrha's still alive. After following how the show went for my JoJo RWBY crossover and receiving a few messages from readers who were sad that she still died in that, I decided I'd make it to where she lives in this one. For plot and such. Dunno how I'm gonna work around a few things though, like Jaune and Cinder's interaction in Haven or Jaune's general depression about losing Pyrrha.**_

 _ **I also considered having Sera be taken by the SDC because, y'know, there was an airship RIGHT THERE that could've taken her to better medical attention, but whatevs. I'll probably write an alternate thing about what would've happened if she did go with Weiss, cause I've been having a lot of ideas about how that'd go. Sera being forced to act prim and proper in Atlas? How long would that even last? She'd probably suplex Weiss's dad.**_

 _ **And yeah, I know that Magnus just sorta disappeared. I honestly couldn't figure out a way to have him back in that would improve the plot. After writing this though, I've had some ideas for him.**_

 _ **Also, yes, Yang kissed Sera. 'Ahhh cringe!' and all that. But whatever. It felt pretty wholesome to write, if I'm being honest. Now Yang has to get off her ass and get back to being her old self. I know neither of them really addressed the kiss when they were talking in Yang's room, but to be fair, there were more pressing matters at hand.**_

 _ **Some people are probably wondering about the mystery man that fought alongside Beacon's students during the school's final moments. You know, the one the prosthetic arms that kicked Mercury's tail. That's the character of my friend and dorm roommate, SirViper. You can find his stories on Wattpad and his account on iFunny under the same name. He's a pretty cool guy with good content, so I suggest checking him out. And if you want, you can see my iFunny under the name ShadowDio. Don't really care about people seeing mine, unless you just want a bunch of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure memes and jokes with people who are in my friend circle on there.**_

 _ **I don't really know if people enjoy this story or not. After seeing a review regarding Sera being a "Mary Sue" character, I've tried to change my writing style for her to make this more enjoyable. You've probably noticed that she's a bit more emotional now and she's not quite as anime-ish in combat. Like the bad kind where you do a bunch of damage to the person then wham! Back at full strength and a power boost. But I DID write her with the intention of her essentially being a mix of Dante and Joseph Joestar. Even though there's a fuck ton more Dante in her than Joseph.**_

 _ **So yeah, see you next chapter when Sera either stays in Patch with Yang, tries to hunt down Cinder, or goes with Ruby to Mistral. It'll probably be the latter, if I'm being honest. Not much plot in staying in Patch and trying to get her to find Cinder would be extremely difficult. For me, at least.**_


	7. Snow

Sera shouted as she swung her trusty sword, Crimson Eclipse. The blade impacted the tree she was attacking and fell out of her hand, clattering to the ground. She bit back a curse and picked the weapon up again.

Several days have passed since she awoke in the Xiao Long house, and she still hasn't recovered. No one knew why her wound hasn't been healed by her aura yet, but it wasn't. And it ticked her off.

She usually spent her time by trying to practice her swordplay or exploring the forest with Ruby. Wasn't much else to do around here.

Yang still moped around the house, depressing her family and Sera even further.

The amnesiac was getting angry. Every time she swung her sword, sharp pains lit up her body and ruined her practice. She knew she should be taking it easier and resting, but that wasn't on her list of priorities. Every time her weapon collided with the tree trunk, images of the Fall of Beacon filled her head.

 _Wham!_

She saw herself cutting Grimm down.

 _Wham!_

She tackled Cinder in the lower floors of Beacon Tower.

 _Wham!_

Her and Cinder's swords clashed.

 _Wham!_

A literal stabbing pain in her gut.

She'd just reared back to swing again when a familiar voice and broke her concentration. "You keep this up, you'll be in even worse shape than you were before."

Sera turned her head to see Qrow leaning against a tree, flask in hand. She ignored the huntsman and swung her sword.

"What do you want, old man?" Sera asked as she leaned onto her sword. Qrow corked his flask and pocketed it, "Came here to tell you it's lunch time. And that you should stop whatever you're doing."

"Why's that?" She asked and swung again. The huntsman sighed, "Because you may not care about your own well being right now, but others do. Namely, a certain pair of young ladies."

Sera hesitated at that.

"Look kid, I get it. I do. You're probably thinkin' that the quicker you get well again, the quicker you can track down Cinder and make sure what happened that night doesn't happen again. And trust me, it won't work. I've been trying to track her since Amber was attacked, and I never got close. So, I know you're not going to. The best thing for you to do right now is _chill out_ and _rest."_

Sera knew he was right. She wasn't gonna admit it, though. With a heavy sigh, she sheathed her weapon and carried it with one hand, heading back to the house. Qrow shrugged his shoulders and followed. He seemed to have gotten through to her.

. . .

Sera was laying in her temporary bedroom, listening to music from her scroll while staring up at the ceiling when a knock came to her door. The white head looked over to see Yang standing in the doorway in her pajamas. Sera pulled her earphones out and picked her head up, "Hey."

"Mind if I come in?" She asked. Sera gestured towards her bed, and the blond went to sit on it.

"What's on your mind?" Sera asked, sitting up. Yang bit her bottom lip, "I miss them. Blake and Weiss, JNPR, everyone. It's not the same anymore."

Sera nodded in understanding. She knew that Yang still resented Blake for leaving, but perhaps she was just saying that so they wouldn't start an argument over the Faunus' reasons for leaving. Then Yang met her eyes, "But I miss you the most. We've barely talked for the past week, and our rooms are right next to each other. I know I haven't been…myself. But you could at least stop by, y'know?" She said with a small hint of humor.

"I thought you could use some space," Sera said. It was true. The last time they really spoke, Yang was impatient with her and dismissed her presence.

"Yeah, well… I don't need space from you, or Ruby." She said. Sera nodded in response.

"I got you something…" Yang said, pulling a wooden case from behind her. Sera didn't even notice that she was hiding something. But the case looked familiar. The grain of the wood reminded her of something, but she couldn't place what.

"I'd open it for you, but my hand is full." Yang gave a small smirk and slightly moved her severed arm in her sleeve.

"R-right." Sera said and took the case. She gently popped the latch and lifted the lid. Sunlight reflected off the metal as her eyes widened. Sitting the case was the old-fashioned revolver that she'd looked at during her shopping excursion with Coco Adel.

"How did…?" Sera asked.

"Coco told me that you were admiring it, and that the shopkeeper would hold it for you whenever you wanted it. I figured I'd…get it as a gift for us making it so far in the Vytal Tournament." Yang said meekly. Her cheeks colored while she explained herself.

Sera gripped the handle of the weapon and lifted it out of its case. She instinctively twirled it on her finger and allowed herself a small smile. The silver engravings on the barrel and cylinder shone in the light.

"Thank you, Yang. It…means a lot." Sera said. Yang nodded with a small smile. Sera placed the gun back in its case and set it aside. She took Yang's hand into hers and smiled.

"So, Xiao Long, about what you did before we split at the tower…" Sera said with a teasing smirk. Redness spread across the blonde's face at the mention of it.

"What about it?" Yang said with false bravado. Sera grinned and leaned forward to hug her teammate, catching Yang off-guard. She soon returned the hug with a smile.

"Told you you had a thing for me," Sera smiled.

"Yeah, well, I couldn't admit to it, now could I?" Yang said after they separated. Then Sera got to her feet, still holding onto Yang's hand, "C'mon, let's get somethin' to eat or something. Get you to rejoin the family."

Yang gave in and allowed her teammate to pull her out of the room and down the stairs. Needless to say, this talk went better than Yang expected it to.

. . .

In an extremely dark castle on the other side of Remnant, a pale woman with red eyes and white hair in an ornate style sat upon a black throne, overlooking a long table with several individuals sitting at it.

Cinder Fall looked horrible. She was barely conscious, she wore an eyepatch, and her hair was short, covering the side of her face with the eyepatch. Tyrian, a crazed scorpion Faunus, sat across from her with an insane smile on his face.

"Cinder," the woman on the throne said, her voice gaining the attention of everyone present.

Cinder couldn't speak. Literally. Her vocal cords were damaged.

"One more time," Salem said. "Did you kill Ozpin?" The new Fall Maiden managed to let out a raspy "yes."

"Good." Salem relaxed into her seat. "And what of…her?"

Cinder tried to speak, but nothing came out. Instead, she shook her head once. Salem gripped the armrests of her throne tightly. After a moment, she relaxed again.

"That girl," The sorceress said with a sigh. "Is truly her father's daughter."

"Yes…" Doctor Watts, a mustachioed man in a suit asked. "And what of her father?" Salem turned her attention to him coldly. "In the wind. He hasn't been seen for months."

"Naturally," Watts sighed. Salem rested her chin against her hand, "Indeed. But what do we do about young Sera, I wonder?"

"I can take care of her, mistress!" Tyrian ventured. Salem regarded the Faunus coldly, "No." She said. "For now, we secure our forces and ensure that the next part of the plan goes accordingly. Sera is not a threat at the moment, thanks to our new Fall Maiden."

Cinder nodded. Watts spoke up, "But she couldn't kill her, could she? That silver-eyed girl interrupted."

Salem's eyes glowed brighter, "Ah yes, her. I have a plan for that particular child as well." She said coldly.

. . .

"How many more of these do we have to watch, Ruby?" Taiyang asked with a groan. Ruby excitedly whipped her head around as she swapped the DVD they'd just watched with a new one. The young huntress was forcing Sera to watch a literal ton of action movies, but she'd roped in everyone else to do so as well.

"Ruby, I swear if this is another _Die Hard_ movie—" Yang groaned.

"It's not! It's much better!" Ruby grinned as she took her seat besides Qrow. Sera smiled at the girl's excited behavior. It lifted the entire house out of its funk and brought a general peace.

Sera shifted her hand under the blanket that covered her and Yang until she interlaced her fingers with the brawler's. Yang gave a small smile at the gesture, then immediately groaned when the 'main menu' for _Live Free and Die Hard_ came onto the holographic screen.

The purple-eyed huntress didn't mind. She was just enjoying the moment. Ruby shook excitedly with her eyes glued to the screen. Sera wasn't really enjoying these _Die Hard_ movies all that much. She preferred a more comedic action movie after watching all three _Rush Hour_ films. Nonetheless, she sucked it up so it wouldn't ruin Ruby's day. After all, this movie marathon was dedicated to her for having all memory of television movies and shows wiped away.

During the current movie, Sera stood to go get another refreshment, but something caught her eye. A box set full of DVD cases. The box had an animated picture of a muscular man with dark blue hair and clothes to match, and a blond man with red eyes and fangs holding what appeared to be a stone mask beside the muscle guy.

"What's this?" Sera asked, holding up the box set. Ruby's eyes filled with barely controlled excitement and joy.

Qrow, Tai, and Yang spoke at the same time, "No!"

Sera flinched slightly and set the box down, "Fine, jeez!" Then went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of People Like Grapes soda. When she returned, she halted to take in the scene. Tai was sitting with his arms crossed and a playful smirk on his face as he watched the movie. Ruby was laying on her stomach on the floor, her legs swinging and her chin resting on her hands. Qrow was passed out with his flask in his hand.

Then Yang met her eyes and smiled. Sera returned it and went to take her seat beside the blond.

Well, she thought. Things could be worse.

. . .

The weeks passed by quickly. From now on, every day, Sera would wake up, get dressed, and go spend the whole day with Yang or Ruby or both of them at the same time. She and Ruby explored the forest near the house, watched cheesy movies, or tried to do some combat training. She and Yang usually hung out in the blonde's room or Sera would help her adjust to life without an arm. There have been several times where Yang would have nightmares and wake up screaming, and the only ones who can calm her down are Sera or Ruby. The amnesiac never had to play this sort of role, that she knew of, but she got used to it rather quickly.

Her stab wound also finally healed after a few weeks, so Sera was quick to get back on her feet and train again. Every day, she went outside to practice her swordplay or work on her aim with the gift Yang had given her. She liked to time and test herself with the revolver. She was getting faster with drawing the gun and aiming it from the hip to shoot with deadly accuracy. Ruby gave her the idea after they watched _Tombstone._

In no time at all, snow began to fall and cover the ground, trees, and house. Qrow thought it was funny to call her 'Snowball', then throw an actual snowball at her head. She'd respond by drawing her new revolver and firing it off at the huntsman's feet.

But with the snow falling, it meant time was running out. Ruby was about to enact her plan, and Sera still had a decision to make.

The amnesiac sat at the kitchen table and idly spun an empty People Like Grapes bottle on the tabletop. With a groan, she stood and began to make her way upstairs. She smiled lightly at the pain she had endured simply going up and down the stairs with her wound. Now that it was healed, she could ascend and descend with confidence.

She passed by Ruby's room to see the younger girl packing items into a hiking backpack. The scythe wielder had just dropped a large bag full of cookies when Sera knocked on her open door. Ruby jolted, startled.

"Oh, h-hey Sera," She said and made an attempt to hide the bag under her bed. Sera raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, staying silent. Ruby rolled her silver eyes and pulled the backpack back out.

"When do you plan on leaving?" Sera finally asked. Ruby stared at the floor for a moment. The amnesiac took in the sight of her team leader. In the many weeks that she'd been staying at the Xiao Long house, Ruby had changed. It was like she finally hit puberty. Her body had become slightly curvier and her chest had developed, well, you know. She was a bit taller as well.

Yang, however, seemed to be the opposite. She seemed to finally grow into her own body, becoming more athletic looking, as if she were a professional sports player.

Ruby tapped the floor with her toe, "Sometime this month. I was packing early so I wouldn't have to later."

"…You know those cookies will probably become stale by time that happens?" Sera smirked.

Ruby glanced to the window, "…Haven't really thought about it."

The amnesiac chuckled and approached Ruby, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Look, I know you want to do this. You might have to. But… you do know that people need you here too, right?"

Ruby nodded and met Sera's eyes, "I know. But we do have to do this. JNPR and I have to finish our training one way or another, and this is the best way. Plus, Sun and the others will be at Haven, so we have friends there already."

Sera lowered her hand and smiled while shaking her head as if she were amused. "You're right. But that doesn't mean you're not a little wrong, either."

"The offer's still on the table, you know. You could come with us. I know Nora would enjoy that," Ruby smiled.

Sera looked to the side and out the window, gazing at the falling snow. "Yeah. But… I think it'd be better to stay here. We can't both go and leave Yang. Couldn't do that to her. Not after…" Sera said and rubbed her right arm at the elbow.

Ruby looked down in obvious disappointment. "You're right. Gonna suck to not have that sword of yours with us, though." A smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth.

Sera laughed lightly and put a hand in her pocket, "Yeah, it'd be fun, wouldn't it? Exploring the countryside of Mistral with friends. Fighting for our lives and sleeping in the cold. All that jazz."

Ruby placed her backpack into her closet and smiled, "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Just don't leave without saying goodbye, okay?" Sera gave a lopsided smile. The scythe wielder smiled and shut her closet doors, "Promise."

A few seconds of silence passed, then Sera gestured behind her and at the door. "Guess I'll go check on Yang. She's been acting a bit funny lately. Well, funnier than usual."

Ruby nodded, "Right. See you for dinner?" Sera smiled before closing the door, "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Ruby snickered, then Sera shut the door and left her alone in the bedroom.

"Hey, kid." Qrow said from beside Sera. She nearly jumped straight into the ceiling. "Gods, old man! Nearly gave me a heart attack!"

The elder scythe wielder smirked, "If only. Then I wouldn't have to deal with you anymore."

"Ha, ha."

"Anyway," Qrow said. "I know about Ruby's little trip to Mistral. I know she asked you to go with her. But are you?"

Sera shook her head after a moment. "I'd like to. But I'm not gonna leave Yang here alone. She's having a hard time and with, well, you know why."

The huntsman nodded. "Yang's a tough gal. But I'm thinkin' maybe it's for the best that you don't go, so that there'll be two huntsmen here in case anything happens."

Sera quirked her eyebrow, "You're going somewhere? Or is Tai not as tough as he looks?" Qrow smirked in response, "Actually, Tai was the strongest member on my team. He'll probably whip your hide as easily as he would cook an egg. But that's not the point. Yes, I'm not stickin' around."

"Where're you going?"

"Take a guess."

Sera glanced at Ruby's door then back at Qrow with a raised eyebrow. Qrow nodded in response, "Someone's gotta make sure they don't get into too much trouble. Plus, I've got to go to Mistral as well. Business to tend to."

"Right. I wouldn't worry too much about them. The five of them will be pretty tough with Pyrrha and Nora around."

"Heh, yeah. But still, it's a long journey. They might just need all the help they can get."

Sera nodded. "True. Well, I'm not sure when she's leaving, but I'll give you a heads up if I find out." She said as she turned to go to her room.

"Appreciate it, kid." Qrow thanked just as Sera entered the bedroom.

"Just watch out for them, old man."

Qrow smirked, put his hands in his pockets, and made his way downstairs.

Upon entering her room, Sera immediately peeled off her leather coat and dropped it on her bed as she went towards the bathroom. After taking a long shower, she stepped back into the bedroom and opened the closet. She glanced between the racks of clothes and the red coat on her bed. Making a quick decision, she picked out something a little old-school. Sera put on a familiar pair of white pants, a purple tank top, a purple belt with an Omega symbol belt buckle, and a stylish white jacket with purple trim. She put on her leather gun belt and holstered Yang's gift weapon.

She smiled to herself as she pulled on a pair of black combat boots. She stood to look at herself in the mirror inside her closet, and her expression faltered. Sera pulled her tank top up several inches until she saw it. The ugly scar that now resided between the bottom of her ribcage and her belly button. Her aura had finally healed the wound and taken away the pain, but she now had this scar to commemorate it. With a sigh, she straightened her top and looked into her own eyes. Her violet irises stared back at her, then she glanced at the scar over her right eye. Images from her battle against the Minotaur Grimm flashed in her mind, then she chewed her bottom lip and stepped away from the mirror.

She exited her bedroom and went to see Yang. With her mind so shaken up from reminiscing on her battle scars, she forgot to knock, and walked right into the brawler's bedroom.

"Whoa!" Yang exclaimed, covering herself. She'd been changing clothes. Luckily, she was at least sort of decent looking. She wore black pants unbuttoned and had a bra on, but she was having trouble getting it secure.

"Sorry! I forgot to knock," Sera apologized and averted her eyes. Yang relaxed a little and tried to keep her clothing straight. "It's fine, I'm just…having a little trouble. Putting on clothes isn't too easy anymore," She chuckled, embarrassed and saddened at struggling to do something as simple as changing clothes.

Sera looked up to see Yang still struggling to hook her bra, her free hand desperately working the undergarment. "Here, let me help." Sera said and went around behind the brawler, quickly hooking the bra together so Yang could relax. She then buttoned her pants for her and turned to find a yellow tank top on her bed. Sera grabbed it and handed it to her, helping her to put it over her head.

Yang sighed finally with red cheeks, "Thanks. You have no idea how long it takes to get dressed in the morning."

"No problem. I never put any thought to it. Sorry, I could've helped if you wanted." Sera replied as they took a seat on the edge of Yang's bed.

"Eh, don't worry about it. I've gotta learn how to dress myself now anyway. Guess I still haven't gotten it down after all this time." She chuckled. "I usually just wear sweatpants and a shirt."

"I noticed," Sera said. "So, uh, whatcha dressed up for then? If you call a tank top being dressed up."

Yang snickered. "Well, Dad went to town to pick up some groceries and stuff, so I figured you and I could get out of the house for a bit."

"What about Ruby?"

"Qrow said he was gonna spar with her for a bit and possibly search for Grimm to fight or whatever. Something about not getting rusty."

"Right, right. So? What you got planned?" Sera looked over at Yang.

"Wanna go to town?"

Sera smiled. She was happy that Yang was wanting to get out of the house for once. Usually all the blond does is sulk around the house. The white head was afraid that Yang was too far into depression or something to do much else.

"I'd like that." She said and bumped her shoulder into Yang's.

"Good. We'll leave as soon as I put on my jacket." Yang smiled and stood.

"Quick question, though. How are we getting there?" Sera asked curiously.

. . .

"If you wreck, I _will_ kill you." Yang told the amnesiac. They were currently standing inside a small shed behind the house. A large sheet of weather resistant fabric was draped over a long and narrow object.

"Wreck?" Sera blinked. Yang pulled off the fabric to reveal bright yellow motorcycle that obviously had a lot of care put into it. The vehicle was low to the ground, sleek, and built for speed and agility.

Sera gasped at the motorcycle and glanced at Yang, "This is yours?"

"Yep. Meet Bumblebee, my pride and joy." Yang grinned. "She's been through a lot."

"And you want me to drive this? With you on it? How are you, uh, gonna stay on?"

"Don't worry, I can hold onto you just fine with one arm. Just keep your balance and don't do anything crazy."

"You realize who you're talking to?"

"Which is _why_ if you do anything to my precious, I'll happily feed you to the Grimm. Got it?"

"Yes ma'am." Sera grinned and went around the side of the bike.

In no time at all, they were speeding down the snowy road in the forest. Sera was disappointed that she couldn't bring her sword, just in case she needed it, but it'd make the ride awkward and uncomfortable. So she left it behind. Yang was comfortably riding on the back with her arm hooked around Sera's waist. The amnesiac grinned and twisted the throttle on the bike, speeding up. It took almost no time for her to get used to driving the vehicle. Yang told her she was a natural.

"You sure you haven't driven one of these before?" Yang shouted over the wind.

"Yeah, back in the city of Vacuo! Downtown was a mess." Sera replied, then blinked hard.

"What?" Yang asked.

"I… I don't know where that came from." She said. It was the truth. She just said it as naturally as she would anything else. "I think that was from my past!" She shouted over the rushing wind. Yang nodded in understanding.

But now wasn't the time to think about it. She had to focus on not crashing. So, they continued down the road, occasionally slipping on the snow-covered road.

It took several minutes to reach the small town near the Xiao Long house, but they finally arrived. Sera pulled Bumblebee up to a little café at Yang's request, and the pair was soon sitting across from each other with mugs of hot chocolate to warm themselves up.

"So, does this mean you're getting more memories back?" Yang asked. Sera set down the mug in her hands and looked up, "Maybe. I don't know. But that thing about Vacuo just came out of nowhere. I don't even remember anything about Vacuo or Shade, apart from those few dreams back at Beacon."

Yang nodded and looked out a window. "Ruby's leaving." She said after several moments.

"Yeah… I know." Sera replied. "Going to Mistral with JNPR."

"What about you?" she asked. Sera shook her head, "Nah. I'm staying here. There's nothing for me in Mistral. Plus I couldn't leave behind my favorite airhead, now could I?"

Yang smirked and sipped her coco. "Not much to do around here. Just warning you." Sera gave a lopsided smile, "Yeah. But it's better than sleeping on the ground and fighting Grimm."

"I thought you liked fighting Grimm, Snowball." Yang smiled.

"That was back… back at Beacon. It's different now." Sera looked into her cup.

Yang frowned slightly. "Hey. Cheer up. I know things aren't the same as before, but it'll be okay." The blond reached across the table and took Sera's hand into hers. Sera gave a smile at the gesture, "Yeah. You're probably right."

Then she remembered what she, Qrow, and Tai had talked about the day she woke up in their house. She remembered Salem, the Maidens, and about her and Ruby being the 'two best shots we have at Salem' as they put it.

"What's wrong?" Yang asked. Sera didn't realize she was scowling. After a moment, she replied, "I saw Ruby's mom's grave. She took me there."

Yang's expression saddened. "Oh." Was all she said.

"Yeah. She was a good woman, wasn't she?"

"The best. Basically, super mom. Ruby looks exactly like her, too. She might as well be a clone. She isn't technically my mom, but she was more of a mom than my real one ever was." She said with bitterness in her voice at the end.

"Wanna talk about it?" Sera asked. Yang scowled, then her expression relaxed. "Yeah," She said with a sigh. The amnesiac sat at attention, ready to listen.

"Well. As you know, I've been looking for her. But it's not because I want her attention or love. She left my dad and I out of nowhere when I was little. From what my dad and Qrow told me, she's never exactly been… the best person in the world. Supposedly, she runs a group of bandits somewhere in Mistral. So yeah, not exactly mom of the year."

Sera took in what she had to say and glanced at the table momentarily. "Do you know why she left in the first place?"

Yang's fist clenched. "That's what I intend on asking her."

Then the door to the café flew open and crashed against a wall. The huntresses turned to find out what happened while everyone else inside let out startled yelps and shouts.

A pair of men walked into the café and searched the crowd. The first one was a tall Faunus with large ram's horns and rippling muscles while the other one was human. He wore a black coat that reached his ankles and held a large two-handed sword in his hand. The Faunus was easily six-foot-eight. His arms were as thick as Sera's waist, and he wore nothing but a pair of dark green trousers with large boots. Guess they didn't have a shirt in his size, Sera thought.

The second guy was average height with spiky orange hair and his sword easily dwarfed Crimson Eclipse. It was at least seven feet long and as wide as the head of Nora's hammer. It reminded Sera of a sword from a videogame. She believed it was called a 'buster' sword or something?

They looked hostile, but something else came to mind. Both of them were meant for open-space combat, and they were currently in close quarters.

The Faunus' eyes fell on Sera and narrowed. The smaller guy hefted his sword and smirked as she sized up the pair of huntresses before them.

With a quick glance to Yang, Sera said, "Run."

Of course, she didn't listen. The ram Faunus stepped forward as his eyes once again swept over the crowd of people inside the café.

"Been looking for you." He said. His voice was low and deep.

"And who might you pair of…gentlemen be?" Sera asked, unflinching.

"Nobody important. But your mom sends her regards." The second guy said. That caused Sera to hesitate. Before she could ask anything else, she suddenly wasn't there.

Her back slammed into the wall behind her as the Faunus charged forward and punched her.

"Sera!" Yang exclaimed, then glared at them. Writing off Yang as a harmless bystander, due to her missing arm, was a mistake on the bad guys' part. Before the Faunus, who Sera had decided to call Horns, could attack again, a fist flew out of nowhere and sent him through the window.

The guy with the sword looked to Yang to find her eyes glowing red and her hair aflame with aura. He swung his sword at her, but Sera appeared out of literally nowhere and caught the large blade.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Sera wagged a finger at him, then slammed her knee into his gut. The guy's aura took the blow, but he still doubled over, allowing Sera to grab his coat and throw him out the window and into the street.

"Who are these guys?" Yang asked after her eyes returned to lilac and her hair got un-flamey.

"No idea. But they're after me, apparently. You said Tai was in town, right? I need you to go find him and bring him here. I'll hold off Horns and Sword Guy." Sera told her.

"No way, I'm not leaving you here." Yang said. Sera resisted rolling her eyes, "Yang, I hate to say it, but without Ember Celica or your, ahem, arm, you're not going to be much help. Tai, however…" She said.

"Fine!" Yang groaned. She knew her teammate was right. "But you don't have your sword either. How are you gonna hold em off?"

Sera grinned and drew her revolver, spinning it on her finger. "My dear, you've provided me with all I need to handle these jokers."

Yang couldn't help but smile. She nodded and hugged Sera, then jumped out the window to find Taiyang. "Don't die!" She shouted.

Sera smirked and hopped out the window to find her assailants facing her down. She holstered her gun and grinned at them. They were on one side of the street, she was on the other.

"Now, if I were an old-timey gunslinger in one of those movies, I'd say…" She mused, then both of her attackers charged. "It's high noon," She said.

She immediately drew the black revolver and hammer-fired all the entire cylinder into both of them before they reached her. Their auras absorbed the Dust rounds, and Sera jumped over them to land on the side of the street they'd just charged from. She was going to reload, but Sword Guy was already on top of her.

His eyes narrowed as he swung his massive sword into Sera. But the blade was suddenly halted! Sera grinned and pushed back against his weapon. She'd caught the blade on the barrel of her gun as easily as she would have with Crimson Eclipse.

"Tell me about this sword. You compensating for something?" She quipped. Then she was promptly slammed in the side by Horns's body. Sera grunted as she tumbled across the pavement and came to a stop. She looked up just in time to see a massive boot coming down on her chest. Before she even thought of using her semblance, the boot stomped her midsection and pressed down. Hard. Right on the wound that had just healed.

Sera clenched her jaw and tried to pry the foot off of her, but it was useless. This Faunus was far stronger than she. Horns smiled coldly as he pressed down harder, eliciting a scream from Sera as her aura began to fail. She'd just healed from a near fatal injury, and she was hardly ready for combat just yet. Sure, she _thought_ she was ready, but the only training she'd done recently was practicing her swordplay and aim. She'd neglected to spar.

" _This_ is the girl that stood up to a Maiden? Please." Horns laughed. Sword Guy appeared beside him, his weapon resting on his shoulder.

' _Raise your foot again and we'll see,'_ She smirked.

"I wouldn't lower your guard if I were you," Sword Guy said. "This is the mistress's daughter, after all." Horns looked over at his companion with a scowl, "She's just a kid. No threat to Salem or _us,_ for that matter."

Sera laughed, drawing both of their attention. "If you think for one _second_ that I'm not a threat to you chumps, then you're even dumber than you look, big guy."

That got the reaction she wanted. Horns scowled and raised his foot to stomp her again. "Big mistake," She smiled.

Everything came to a halt around Sera as the Faunus released her from his hold. She got to her feet and looked between the two.

' _Alright. I can't do this for very long at the moment. Thanks, Cinder. So let's see…'_ She thought, then grinned. The huntress quickly took the sword from Sword Guy, placed him under Horns' boot, then retreated several feet back threw the large sword at the Faunus. The weapon stopped in midair hallway to him and froze. Sera smirked and retrieved her gun, just as time resumed.

Horns's foot slammed down onto Sword Guy's chest the massive sword collided with the Faunus as if on cue. Sera laughed as she reloaded her weapon. Both of her assailants were on the ground, and she casually approached both of them.

The amnesiac panted slightly as she got closer to them. She didn't want to show it but using her semblance expended a lot of her stamina. The two men got to their feet and towered over Sera, who grinned at each of them while spinning her gun on her finger.

' _Really gotta come up with a name for this thing,'_ She thought. Then Horns glanced at Sword Guy for a second and rushed the amnesiac. She ducked under his giant arm and fired a round into his chest. The Faunus' aura took the brunt of the attack, but he still looked surprised.

A sword flew out of nowhere and Sera was forced to dodge out of the way. The massive weapon attacked the ground where she had just stood, breaking up the concrete as if Nora had just stomped the ground.

Sera had to go on the defensive now. She was being attacked by both enemies at once and could barely do much else. But after catching the large leg of Horns with her hands, she threw him back and hammer-fired several rounds into Sword Guy's weapon. The sword went off course and missed her, cleaving a light pole in two. The huntress decided to go with hand-to-hand combat while using her gun. She'd punch and kick each of them while firing round after round, gradually lowering their aura.

After a particularly powerful attack to Horns's leg, he buckled and fell to one knee. Seeing this, Sera rushed forward, and pistol whipped the Faunus. She glanced to the side just in time to see a massive sword flying towards her.

From Sword Guy's perspective, he was swinging his sword at her, knowing this would be an extremely powerful blow to her. It may even deplete her aura so they could finally grab her and return to Salem's castle.

Then, before his sword could even come into contact with her, she was gone. In a blink, she was suddenly standing beside him, her gun to his head.

"Too slow," She smirked, then fired. The man's aura barely blocked the Dust round, and he was thrown to the ground from the force of the bullet. Sera holstered her gun, turned, and was suddenly in the air with something closed around her throat.

Horns had his giant fist holding her aloft while all she could do was try to pry the thing off of her and struggle to breathe. The Faunus smiled while she tried to kick him, but her legs just couldn't reach. Redness surrounded Sera's vision, and she could feel herself about to pass out from lack of oxygen. Her aura tried to do something, anything, but the one thing that aura can't do is provide air.

She heard Horns laughing as his fist tightened and Sera let out a whimper of pain. Just when she gave up hope of fighting back, something brown and yellow slammed into the Faunus. He dropped the huntress to the ground, Sera clutching her throat and coughing while she tried to clear her vision. What she eventually saw was quite terrifying.

Taiyang Xiao Long was fighting both the men with extreme ease. He used only his fists, and it was more than enough to take both of them. Sera's vision was swimming with blackness, but every time it cleared enough for her to see, the fight was progressively getting worse for the baddies. Sword Guy now laid on the concrete, his own weapon embedded in his chest. Horns was missing one of his horns and was desperately trying to beat his new opponent.

A familiar blond helped Sera to her feet and put one of her arms around their shoulders for support.

"That's it, I gotcha," Yang told her as they stood. Sera looked over to see Tai was standing behind Horns, who was on his knees, with both arms locked around the Faunus' large head and neck. He was talking to him, but neither Sera nor Yang could hear what was being said.

"Took you long enough," Sera coughed. Yang looked over at her, "Yeah, well, dad was hard to find."

Then a very audible crack was heard as Tai twisted the Faunus' neck clockwise. The large body of Horns was heard dropping to the ground, and Taiyang was making his way back to his daughter.

"Are you two all right?" He asked.

"Yeah, thanks to you." Sera thanked and managed to stand on her own. Her aura was letting her recover quickly. Tai nodded, "Come on. We better get back to the house. Now."

Then the three of them did just that. Taiyang drove a car down the snowy road to his house while Sera and Yang followed behind on Bumblebee. They quickly got into the house and out of the cold. Tai carried a stack of boxes in his arms and dumped them onto the kitchen table.

"Who were those guys? And why were they after Sera?" Yang asked frantically. Tai shook his head, "I don't know. The Faunus wouldn't tell me anything." He said, but he shot Sera a look. She nodded in response, understanding what he meant. Salem sent them after her, she knew that. But was she trying to kill her, or abduct her?

"Maybe they're with Cinder. She's trying to finish the job." Sera suggested. Yang shook her head, as if she remembered something. "One of them said something about your…mother? What was that about?"

Sera shook her head and shrugged, "Beats me. I think they were just talking crazy." Tai gave a curt nod at Sera. She hated it, but the less others new of her little 'situation', the better.

That's when Ruby appeared in the doorway with Qrow behind her. "What happened?" She asked.

"Sera and I were attacked in town!" Yang replied. Ruby's eyes widened and Qrow shot a look at Tai. "Are you okay?" Ruby asked. Sera nodded and rubbed her neck where the ram Faunus grabbed her, "Yeah don't worry, your dad saved my hide."

"Hey, you fought them off pretty well. Despite just now recovering, you did pretty well out there." Tai complimented. Sera gave a small smile at the praise, then laced her fingers together and rested her hands behind her head. "I was pretty good, wasn't I?"

Tai and Qrow chuckled, but Ruby and Yang still looked worried.

"They were after Sera, for some reason. Barely paid attention to me," Yang said. Ruby turned and looked to her father, "What do we do then? More could show up for her."

"Don't worry, kid. No one's going to find this house. Especially if they don't know where to look," Qrow said. Sera quirked an eyebrow, "They knew where to look in town earlier."

Qrow seemed to consider this, "Maybe they got lucky. There's no telling how long they've been in town."

"A possibility. But still, she's not safe here. We should find somewhere for her to go till things die down." Tai commented. Sera and Ruby met each other's eyes.

"Things aren't _going_ to die down, Tai. It's only going to get worse out there, you know that." Qrow shot back. Taiyang sighed and crossed his arms, "Well, what do you suggest then?"

"Uh, I have an idea." Ruby raised her hand.

. . .

Sera sighed as she packed clothes and supplies into a backpack. After Ruby told everyone her plan of going to Mistral, the amnesiac was to begin packing. Tai was reluctant about letting anyone leave in the first place, but he eventually relented. After all, no one could come up with a better plan. Team JNPR would be showing up any day now.

After dumping several boxes of Dust rounds and crystals into the bag, she sealed it up and placed it into her closet. She was packed for a long trip. Several changes of clothes, a medical pack, protein bars, a canteen (gifted to her by Qrow), and Dust now resided inside the large hiking backpack.

Yang was the most disappointed that Sera was leaving, but Ruby was ecstatic. The blond brawler leaned against a wall in Sera's room with a thoughtful look on her face.

"You sure you gotta go?" she asked. Sera put out a set of warmer clothes for the cold weather and sighed, "I don't want to, really. But if I do, people will stop searching Patch for me. They'll find this place eventually. I don't care what Qrow says."

"Still. I'm sure you could handle anyone who comes your way. Especially since Dad's here."

Sera chuckled and closed her closet after removing her white jacket. "Yeah. But I'd rather my presence not put you in harm's way." Yang idly traced her finger along the wall, "True. I just don't want anyone else to leave. First Blake, then Weiss, now you and Ruby are leaving." She said sadly.

Sera looked up at her and stood. Approaching her teammate, Sera put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, we'll be back. Before you know it, you'll be annoying me with your bad puns again."

Yang punched Sera in the shoulder. The amnesiac grinned and massaged her now wounded shoulder with her hand. "My puns are _not_ bad," Yang smiled.

"They're a pun-ishment," Sera grinned. She then got punched again. Yang laughed, then her expression turned sad and she looked down. "What?" Sera asked. Yang shook her head, "Just gonna miss this."

The purple-eyed huntress nodded, "Me too." They stood in silence for several moments before a knock came to the door. Ruby poked her head in, "Hey. A letter from Jaune just came in. They're gonna be here tomorrow." Sera nodded in response, "Thanks, Ruby."

Then the scythe wielder disappeared, leaving Yang and Sera alone again.

"Sooner than I thought," Yang mumbled. Sera put a hand on her shoulder again and squeezed. "Hey, it'll all be fine." The brawler met her eyes and couldn't help but smirk at Sera's face. "If you say so, Snowball."

Sera smiled, "There she is."

"So now what?" Yang asked after a moment. The amnesiac returned her hand to her side and looked out the window, "Now, I guess I go to Mistral with Ruby and the others. What about you?"

The brawler bit her bottom lip, "I dunno yet. I guess stay here with dad. And… thank you." Sera then looked over to her and quirked her eyebrow. Yang took a deep breath, "Losing my arm has been hard. I have flashbacks to that night, nightmares that wake me up in cold sweat, and sometimes my hand spasms. Phantom pain is real, you know. I can still _feel_ my arm." She said and looked down at her missing limb. She was probably "flexing" her fingers or "bending" her arm. Then she looked up to meet Sera's eyes, "And you've helped a lot just by being here. I don't know how I'd be if you weren't here. Probably much, _much_ worse. So, thanks."

Sera smiled, "You're welcome, Yang. I'm glad I helped. I know it hasn't been easy, but I know you can pull through. Given your, ah, personality."

"What was that?" Yang's eyes flashed red. Sera only laughed, and Yang's expression softened.

"That's what I'm talking about, Xiao Long. You're gonna be fine, whether I stay or go."

Yang gave a nod as Sera turned to head for the door, "C'mon, I bet Tai's making a mean lunch right about now." Then Sera was suddenly spun around by a strong hand. Her body pressed against Yang's as the familiar sensation of lips crashed against her own overtook her. Sera's eyes widened to see Yang's eyes squeezed shut as she pulled her body against Sera's with her one arm. Sera soon relaxed into it and put her arms around Yang's waist. When they separated, Yang smiled at Sera's red face.

"Like you said, let's go get some lunch." Yang said then released Sera and headed out of the door. Sera smiled and touched her lips before following the blond.

The day passed quickly into night, and before she knew it, Sera was laying in her bed with the covers pulled up to her chest. It was near midnight now. The huntress had been laying in bed for hours, still not tired. She stared up at the ceiling, too anxious to sleep. The trip to Mistral was going to be long and hard, but she had to get to the bottom of this. Perhaps on the way there or in Mistral, she'd find news of Cinder's whereabouts. Despite being afraid of the new Maiden's powers, she still had a score to settle.

A knock to the door shook her from her thoughts. She looked over to see Yang standing in the doorway in her night clothes, which consisted of pajama pants and a yellow tank top.

"Hey," Sera said in a low voice. Yang entered the room, "Hey. You, uh, you mind if I stay in here tonight? I kinda…had a pretty bad dream." Taken aback by the request, Sera blinked. Then again. Finally, she said, "Yeah, 'course. Come on." She scooted over and held the blankets up. With a thankful expression, Yang got into the bed and pulled the covers over herself. She and Sera faced each other. After a few moments, Sera asked, "Wanna talk about it?"

Yang shook her head, "It's just the same stuff as always. Flashbacks of Adam on that night…" Sera nodded, "Well…I'm glad you came to me. Just hope this'll help."

"Me too. But I think it will."

"Why's that, Xiao Long?"

Yang smiled, "Just a hunch." Sera's cheeks colored and she averted her eyes for a moment, "You, uh, wanna sleep?" Yang nodded, "I do."

Then they turned over, back to back and closed their eyes. Sera pressed her head into her pillow and allowed her eyes to flutter closed. Then Yang's voice shook her, "Guess I finally got you to go to bed with me."

Sera laughed and turned her head, "Yeah. Guess you did, Yang."

The brawler smiled to herself and closed her eyes.

. . .

The amnesiac's eyes flew open to the sound of an alarm clock ringing. She turned her head to see sunlight streaming in through the window and groaned. Today was the day she'd leave Patch.

Sera tried to sit up, but something held her down. Looking down to see what the cause of her immobilization is, she saw Yang hanging onto her chest. The blond had her arm wrapped around her and her head buried into the purple-eyed girl. Sera smirked and put a hand on Yang's head. The brawler gave a sigh of content and snuggled into her.

"What," A voice said. "Do you think you're doing to my sister?"

Sera turned to see Ruby standing in the doorway, a playful smirk on her face that betrayed the tone of voice she'd just used. The amnesiac sat up, unintentionally jolting Yang awake. "Um, er- uh- well, you see…" Sera stuttered. Yang looked around in confusion and jumped when she saw her baby sister.

"Ruby!" Yang said with red cheeks. "What do you think you're doing?" Ruby snickered and doubled over with her hands on her knees, "You two were _cuddling!"_ She laughed.

Sera and Yang's cheeks turned a deep shade of red as they looked at each other and stood. "Get out!" They both yelled, and Ruby obliged, still laughing her head off. After the scythe wielder left them, Yang sighed and straightened her clothes.

"That girl…" Yang groaned. Sera gave an embarrassed smile and scratched her head. "Yeah. It was still nice, though." The brawler turned her head to Sera. "Yeah. It was."

"So. Any nightmares?" Sera asked, changing the subject. Yang shook her head, "None. In fact, that was the best sleep I've had for weeks."

The white head smiled at that. "Good. I'm glad it helped after all." Yang nodded, "I just wish… that it wasn't the only good night of sleep I'd have. Since you're leaving today."

Sera stared out the window and into the trees.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to ruin the moment," Yang apologized. Sera turned back to her, "No, no. It's all right. I wish I wasn't leaving too, but…"

"Yeah." Yang said. After a moment, Sera glanced towards the bathroom, "So…I'm gonna take a shower and get ready. See you downstairs for breakfast?"

Yang nodded in response, a small smile appearing on her face. "See you in a bit, Snowball." Then she left, closing the bedroom door behind her.

Sera sighed and ran a hand through her white hair. _'The future ain't looking too great right about now,'_ She thought, dreading the long hours of walking to come. With another sigh, she picked up the warm clothes she'd laid out the previous day and headed into the bathroom.

After her shower, she stood leaning both hands onto the sink and staring at her own reflection. Sera's eyes flicked down to the tattoos on her body, and she idly rubbed her purple-covered shoulder with a thumb. She didn't remember when, where, or how she'd gotten the flower patterns, but it had to have some sort of meaning. Perhaps she'd look it up on the…

Then she slapped her own forehead. She _couldn't_ look it up. All communication services were down.

With a heavy sigh, she began to get dressed. In no time at all, she was wearing a thick hooded black jacket and black pants designed for cold weather. She pulled on her red leather coat she'd worn when she got, well, stabbed, a pair of warm black boots, and a pair of black fingerless gloves that happened to be extremely warm. She wore the black jacket unzipped a little to reveal a white V-neck shirt. She silently thanked Qrow for grabbing her clothes from Beacon.

After making sure she was dressed appropriately, she put on her leather gun belt, grabbed her pack and Crimson Eclipse, then went downstairs. She rolled up the sleeves on her jacket and coat as she descended the stairs. Sera immediately saw everyone else in the house sitting around the kitchen table, smiling and laughing together. Ruby's bag and Crescent Rose were laying on the floor near the front door, so Sera did the same with her bag and sword.

She entered the kitchen, and she could see Yang's eyes light up.

"Hey, kid. Take a seat and grab yourself some bacon. Your friends'll be here any minute." Qrow said. Sera took the seat between Yang and Ruby and loaded her plate.

"So, today's the day." Tai commented. Ruby glanced down, "Yep. Today's the day." Tai gave a smile and flicked her head up, "Hey, chin up. It's not like you'll be gone forever. Plus, this was _your_ idea."

Ruby giggled and took a sip of milk from a glass, a white mustache left behind afterwards. Wiping her mouth, Ruby said, "We'll be there and back before you know it. How long could the trip be anyway? Like, two weeks?"

Qrow and Tai looked at each other. "Why don't you find out for yourself?" Qrow chuckled. Sera didn't like the way he said that. She then felt something on her leg and looked down to see Yang's hand on her knee. Sera smiled and pressed her shoulder against the blonde's.

Seeing this, Ruby blurted something out, "Sera and Yang slept together last night."

Taiyang spewed milk across the room. After he collected himself and wiped his mouth, he looked incredulously at the pair. "You _WHAT?"_

"It wasn't like that!" Sera exclaimed while Yang gave her sister the death stare. Ruby hid herself under the table and Yang sighed. "I had a nightmare, so I went to Sera's room. She let me sleep in there with her for the night. _Nothing_ happened."

Qrow was too busy trying to hold in his laughter at Sera's face while Taiyang looked like he was gonna blow. Then he looked down at Yang's bandaged stub and his expression faltered.

"I believe you. That just…was a shocker," Tai sighed with a chuckle. Sera and Yang took a deep breath of relief.

"But," Tai said, gaining their attention. "I know there's something with you two. I don't know what, but I'd know the looks you give each other from anywhere."

Ruby only listened with a lost expression. She wasn't sure what her dad meant.

"Just know, that _if_ there is something, I support it." He finished. That took the pair of huntresses by surprise. "Really?" Yang asked.

"Of course," Tai smiled. "I always kinda knew your, ah, preference. At least, I had my suspicions."

Yang smiled and rushed to hug her dad, knocking the huntsman over. They laughed and got back upright. Sera only sat there with a lopsided smile while Ruby still look lost.

"I feel the same, Firecracker. You could do far worse than Snowball," Qrow added. A cup flew out of nowhere, and Qrow nonchalantly caught it with ease before it could hit his face.

"You're my daughter, and I'll support whatever you want to do. Besides, I like Sera. Especially after that incident in town, and the way she handles Qrow here. She… kinda reminds me of Ruby's mom. Just without the, well, Ruby." Tai smiled.

"Hey! …Wait, was that a compliment?" Ruby said. Everyone laughed at the lost younger huntress. Sera could only smile as she listened to Taiyang talk. He was like his daughters. He took her in without a second thought and treated her like family. She's only known him for a month or so, but she just realized that he was the closest thing she's had to a father this entire time. She also had a feeling that this was true even when taking her forgotten past into account.

Sera wiped a tear from her eye and grinned. "Thank you, Taiyang. You've been nothing but good to me since I've been here, and I'm grateful for it."

"What about me, kid? I've known you for far longer, and you've never gotten all mushy with me," Qrow snickered. Sera turned to the huntsman, "Cause I actually _like_ Tai."

Qrow faked being hurt by that, clutching at his chest. Sera rolled her eyes and looked over at Yang, who beamed at her.

Then a knock came to the door, and everyone turned to see blond hair thorough the door's window.

Within a few minutes, everyone stood outside, in front of the house. Sera and Ruby had their bags on and weapons in hand. Team JNPR stood farther down the path, waiting for them to say goodbye.

JNPR looked different than at Beacon. Nora had longer hair, as did Ren. But his reached down past his shoulders. Jaune looked about the same, unsurprisingly. But Pyrrha, she definitely looked different. She wore her hair down, for one, but her gold hairpiece was still in place. She wore a red coat with gold trim over her armor and a pair of warm-looking pants to match. In fact, the rest of the team was dressed similarly. They wore heavy coats over their new, slightly modified outfits.

Even Ruby wore changed into something different now. Her outfit resembled her old combat skirt but was drastically different.

Qrow put a hand on Sera's shoulder and gave her a nod, then he was promptly tackled by Ruby in a giant bear hug. Tai chuckled and stood in front of Sera. He smiled and stuck his hand out for her to shake, but Sera rushed forward and embraced the huntsman. It took him and everyone else by surprise, but he returned the hug and rustled Sera's white hair with one hand. After she pulled away, she smiled up at him, then he nodded and went to say goodbye to Ruby.

Then Sera and Yang faced each other. She smiled at the amnesiac, "Well, this is it."

"Yep. Well, see you later, Xiao Long." Sera gave a wave and turned away. It was a joke, of course, but it got opposite reaction she expected. She thought Yang would punch her or something, but the blond grabbed her and spun her around, wrapping her arm around her and hugging tightly. So tight, in fact, that Sera could feel her ribs cracking.

"If you _ever_ pull something like that again…" Yang smiled, her eyes flashing red.

"Yep. Yeah. Got it." Sera choked out, them the brawler set her down. The amnesiac coughed and leaned forward, resting her hands onto her knees. Then, Yang grabbed her by the chin, faced her upwards, then leaned forward.

Ruby gasped. Sera heard team JNPR freaking out. Qrow and Tai smiled warmly in response.

The kiss lasted several seconds, but as soon as Yang pulled away, she pulled Sera into another hug. A good one this time, not a fatal one. She pressed something into Sera's hand, but the amnesiac wasn't concerned with it at the moment. She simply enjoyed what was happening.

"Don't die out there, or I'll kill you," Yang told her. Sera laughed into her neck and squeezed her tighter, "Yes ma'am. Can do."

Then they pulled away, and Sera looked down to see a familiar gold bracelet in her hand. Her eyes widened and she met Yang's eyes. "This is Ember Celica."

Yang shook her head, "Technically it's half of Ember Celica. The, erm, useless half." She said, moving her dismembered limb for emphasis. "I won't be needing it anymore, so I want you to have it. Even if you don't use it, you can just wear it. If you want, of course."

Sera could hardly believe her eyes. Yang was giving her one of her two gauntlets, which she loved dearly. With a determined grin, Sera slipped the weapon onto her wrist, "You got it. I won't let anything happen to it, Yang."

"You better not, Snowball." The blonde grinned.

"It's time to head out, kid. Your friends are getting impatient." Qrow said, and sure enough, Nora looked like she was losing her mind. Sera nodded, then turned away from them with Ruby beside her.

"Let's go then, shall we Rubes?" Sera smiled. Ruby grinned, "Lets." Then the two of them began walking towards team JNPR. With a final wave and a smile, Sera said goodbye to Yang and her family.

"The party's just getting started," Sera grinned.

 _ **Yeah, yeah. Looks like Sera and Yang are a "thing" finally. Couldn't help it to be honest, had to throw in a bit of fanservice. And the revolver that Sera now has is basically one of those big .44 Magnums, in case you were wondering. Inspiration for its design came from playing Red Dead Redemption 2, but the body of the gun is basically Ace of Spades or The Last Word from Destiny. So imagine a black Last Word with silver wave engravings on the barrel and cylinder.**_

 _ **Also the whole "It's high noon" thing was more of a reference to the Jotaro vs. DIO fight in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. The dub, because that's when Matthew Mercer (Jotaro) says that line. And no, I do not prefer JoJo dubs over subs. Just in case someone was about to get triggered over that.**_


	8. Take Me Home, Country Roads

Sera Purpura and her friends sat around a campfire, surrounded by darkness. Six sleeping bags surrounded the flames, and each had their owners sitting atop them. Pyrrha leaned back onto Jaune's chest contently. The knight had his arm around her with a smile on his face while Nora rattled on like she always does.

"Sooo… You and Yang, huh?" Nora turned to Sera, who was absentmindedly sharpening her sword. Glancing down at the large gold band on her left wrist, Sera shot the Valkyrie a look, "Nora, it's been a month now. Can you please find something else to talk to me about?"

"Maybe I _would_ if there was anything to talk about these days," She grumbled. Ruby giggled at her friend and set Crescent Rose beside her in its compact form. Sera turned to look at Pyrrha and Jaune, and a small smile crept onto her face. She was there the night that Pyrrha finally got the guts to make the first move. Sadly, it was also the night that she tried to fight Cinder by herself. There's no telling what would've happened if Sera wasn't there to intervene…

The amnesiac then looked up at the broken moon, large and bright in the sky. Her thoughts turned to her teammates that weren't here. She knew where Yang was, but what about Blake and Weiss? If Weiss had gone back to Atlas, then surely she was with her family. But the bad news was that she hated her family, save Winter. She's likely miserable, and Sera daydreamed staging an assault to rescue the heiress.

She had no idea where Blake would be. Even Ruby knew next to nothing about where she's from. Their Faunus teammate rarely mentioned her past, besides her time in the White Fang.

The shifting of JNPR and Ruby shook Sera from her thoughts. They were putting away their travel dinner plates and silverware and getting ready to turn in for the night. The purple-eyed huntress did the same, laying Crimson Eclipse next her bedroll and putting her new revolver under her pillow.

"Who's turn for first watch?" Jaune asked as he set his armor beside him on the ground. "Uh, definitely not mine!" Nora responded and covered herself with blankets.

"Nora…" Ren said, and Nora lowered the blanket enough to peer out with one eye. "Last night was Pyrrha's turn for first watch, so that means it's yours now." The Valkyrie groaned and sat up, putting her grenade launcher into her lap. "Fine," She groaned. Sera bit back a laugh at her friend's predicament and got situated inside her bedroll. She looked over to Ruby beside her, "Night, Rubes."

Ruby smiled at Sera, "Goodnight, Sera. Goodnight JNPR! Except for Nora, of course, because she has guard duty." She snickered. Nora only mumbled in response and kept her eyes on the trees around them. They've never been attacked while they slept, but there's a first time for everything.

After Sera's eyes fluttered closed, she felt herself slip away into unconsciousness.

The image of a room filled her mind. A small, cobblestone enclosure that she assumed was underground. She saw a man in rags in the center of the floor, his hands bound in chains that came from the wall. He sat on his knees, his head hung low. The man looked rather young, maybe about Qrow's age, but Sera couldn't see his face. His black hair hung over his eyes. The sound of a heavy door slammed shut, and Sera jumped from the sudden 'boom'.

The man brought his head up to meet the person who'd entered the room. The amnesiac saw a short black beard on his face, but it was beginning to grow wild. His violet eyes appeared to look right through Sera.

She woke with a start, sitting bolt upright in her bedroll. It was still nighttime, but the darkness was beginning to brighten ever so slightly. It was almost dawn.

"You okay?" A voice asked, and Sera looked to see Ruby leaning against a tree with Crescent Rose in her lap.

"Yeah, yeah. Just… bad dream," Sera shakily ran a hand through her hair. Ruby nodded, "Same one?"

"Yeah," She responded after a moment. She'd been having the exact same dream every night for the past two weeks. She had no idea what to make of it. She knew it wasn't a memory. Sera was always _in_ all of her memory flashbacks. Then again, she never sees who enters the room…

No, it had to be something else, she thought. Sera got out of her bedroll and sighed, grabbing her revolver. "Go ahead and get some more rest, Ruby. We'll be moving again in a few hours. I can take the rest of the watch."

Ruby nodded tiredly. She didn't even have the will to argue. The scythe wielder just leaned Crescent Rose against the tree she was leaning against and fell face-first into her sleeping bag.

Sera chuckled and sat on the ground, leaning back against the tree that Ruby just left. She propped up one leg and laid the other on the ground, her arms resting onto her bent knee. Sitting like that reminded her of a scene from a movie she'd watched with Yang. Four boys were travelling to find a dead body or something, and they set up camp for the night, taking turns on watch much like she and her friends did.

She liked taking the watch at dawn. It gave her time to think before they hiked towards Mistral. With a light sigh, Sera gazed down at the gold weapon on her wrist. It's only been a month since leaving Patch, but it feels like longer. Snow still falls, so evidently, they hadn't been traveling for too long.

Sera leaned her head back against the rough tree bark and closed her eyes momentarily, pulling her jacket and coat tightly around her for more warmth.

' _What could the dreams mean?'_

. . .

The six huntsmen and huntresses were walking down a narrow dirt path now. They packed up camp around eight o'clock and started walking again. From what Ren could figure, they were about another five hours from the nearest village. And the last village they were at was nine days ago. They were running low on food and supplies, and quickly needed to restock.

Sera was carrying Crimson Eclipse in its rifle form, holding with one hand at her side. She walked in the rear of the group while Pyrrha led the front. Jaune and Ruby were the team leaders here, but everyone seemed to agree that the two best warriors should be at the front and rear. Of course, Sera had to fight Nora for second best fighter.

"Whenever we get there," Nora mused. "I'm gonna get a _big_ plate of pancakes and sleep for a week."

"You can't sleep for a week, Nora. We have to keep moving." Ren said. Nora smirked and rolled her eyes, "That was a _joke,_ Renny."

Silly Ren.

Sera smiled and continued to trudge after her friends. She wanted to go and talk to Pyrrha, but she knew that if she did, Nora would take her place guarding the back of the group. Sera's pride wouldn't allow that.

She looked over her shoulder at a low cliff that resided about two-hundred feet back. A lone man with a large sword on his shoulder watched them walk through the forest. Sera smiled and flipped the bird at him, making Qrow scoff as a smile appeared on his lips.

Sera knew that Qrow had been following them, but she chose to not tell the others. If he wanted them to know, he wouldn't have been taking extra measures to ensure that he wasn't seen.

"Right, Sera?" Ruby asked.

"Huh?" Sera turned her head back to her traveling companions. Ruby rolled her silver eyes, "Weren't you listening at all?" Sera shook her head.

"We were talking about what we were gonna do when we got to Mistral. I predicted that the first thing you're gonna do is raid the vending machine for some People Like Grapes." Ruby smiled. Sera smirked, "Hit the nail on the head, Rubes."

"I still think she's gonna challenge the toughest guy at Haven," Jaune smiled. Nora raised a finger, "Or girl!"

"Right, or girl," Jaune chuckled. Sera gave a lopsided smile, "Hey, Jaune? How's your swordplay coming along?"

"Oh, really great! Much better than before, thanks to you and Pyrrha." His eye twinkled. "Good, good. Glad to help," Sera nodded and kept walking. She and Pyrrha had been training the knight even harder than Pyrrha was before, and it was really showing. He was actually beginning to last more than ten seconds in a fight against either of them.

"Just keep working and maybe you can fight something without nearly dying!" Nora said cheerfully. The students laughed at that. But unbeknownst to them, a pair of eyes watched them through the trees. A tall man with long blond hair, blue eyes, and clothes that made him look like a Holy Knight kept his gaze on the six of them. After they passed, he saw another huntsman with a large sword, short black hair, and a tattered red cape-like attachment on his back. The stranger's eyes widened at the sight of Qrow Branwen, but he did not falter.

The man turned to look at a creepy octopus-like Grimm that floated several inches off the ground. It had a spherical head that swirled with red mist. Once he approached the Grimm, the mist cleared to reveal the pale face of a woman with red eyes and white hair.

"I found them."

"Good, Christian. Eliminate them all except for my daughter. I her returned to me." Salem said. Christian shifted uncomfortably.

"What is it?" The sorceress asked. After a moment, he replied, "Qrow Branwen is guarding them. And your daughter has become more powerful than you think. Plus, it'll be difficult to fight them all at once, especially with that Pyrrha Nikos."

Several seconds of silence passed, until Salem finally said, "Very well. Follow and observe, for now."

"Yes, mistress." Christian bowed. The sphere on the Grimm returned to red mist, and just like that, his audience with Salem was over.

This man would have to do the one thing he hated during these assignments: play the long game.

. . .

Much more time has passed since Christian found his target. Sera and the others have made significant progress towards Mistral, and the weather had become warm again. Team JNPR, Ruby, and Sera did more hunting jobs in order to earn Lien and buy food and other necessities.

Sera was currently jingling a bag of coins with a smile on her face. She was the one who led the latest extermination, so she got to keep the Lien on her person. She happily tucked the pouch away in her bag and adjusted her coat. Since the weather had warmed, she'd gone back to wearing the crimson leather coat and a simple white tank top. She'd been asked many times why she couldn't decide between red or purple for her clothing, and she always responded with, "Cause both look good on me, so why seclude myself to a single color?"

Jaune held a large map in front of his face as they went down the dirt path, "Looks like we're getting pretty close to Mistral. We're about two weeks away from it."

Ruby shook excitedly and cheered. Finally! She thought.

But far away, in a dark castle, the immortal sorceress was ordering her scorpion Faunus, Tyrian to track down the six of them. She didn't trust Christian to do the job by himself. Plus, the blond man was about to become… Disposed of.

Pyrrha smiled as sunlight washed over her body. She squeezed Jaune's hand tighter as they led their friends down the dirt path. The last couple months have been the happiest in her life, despite going through Beacon's fall. She and Jaune finally got together, after many months of the spartan swooning over him. And she had a present for him whenever they reached the next village. She'd ordered a special new weapon and suit of armor for the knight, crafted by the same person who made her weapons and armor. She'd made sure to choose the nearest village where it'd arrive around the same time they did.

She was so busy daydreaming about herself and Jaune that she didn't notice Sera had slip into the tree line.

The amnesiac bent down near some bushes, watching her friends slowly get further away, and waited. Soon enough, she saw her target. A lone man hid himself, moving from tree to tree as he followed the former Beacon students. Sera gripped her sword tighter and crept up on the man.

Once she was within a suitable distance, she threw her sword at him, lodging it in the tree beside his head. The man turned to find Sera aiming a large handgun in his face.

She smirked. "You're losing your touch, old man." Then she holstered the weapon and pulled her sword free. Qrow smiled and leaned a hand against the tree, "Whatever you say, kid. I definitely wasn't expecting you to stand so conveniently center on the mark."

"Huh?" Sera asked, then looked down to see a red X on the grass. "Oh, son of a—" She didn't get the chance to finish her sentence. A thick rope wrapped around her ankles, and suddenly she was hanging upside down.

Qrow laughed and walked around the amnesiac, praising himself for his handiwork. Sera only rolled her eyes and crossed her arms as she slowly turned in circles.

"Great, great. You've had your laugh, now can you let me down?" She groaned. Qrow grinned and reached into his pocket, "Hold on, Snowball.' Sera expected him to pull out his flask, but instead he aimed his scroll at her, and she heard a 'click' sound as the device took a photo. Then Qrow changed it to its front camera and posed in front of the disgruntled Sera.

"WILL YOU LET ME DOWN?" Sera demanded, but the momentary flash of alarm across Qrow's face made her falter. "Huh. That's weird." He said as he looked down at the screen.

"What's we- AH! …Ow," Sera groaned. Qrow had swung his large sword, Harbinger, at the rope while she was midsentence, causing her to drop like a sack of potatoes. After Sera rubbed her head and sat up, Qrow bent down next to her and showed her the picture. Her eyes narrowed at the background of the photo.

"Huh. Some guy's photobombed you." Sera noted. True to her word, a blond man stood half-hidden behind some bushes. Qrow nodded and stood straight, returning the scroll to his pocket, "Yep. Think we should say hi?" Sera smirked and stood, drawing her revolver and aiming it behind her without looking, "Already on it."

Christian did not expect to be found out so easily. Before he could realize what Qrow was doing when he posed, it was too late. Now, the blond servant of Salem was crouched down behind the bushes he was standing behind in the photo. He could barely make out what they were saying, and he couldn't see them, but he soon figured out what they were talking about when he heard a gunshot and felt something collide with his chest.

He jumped to his feet and drew his weapon: a giant sword that was taller than him and several inches wider. Something emerged from the bushes at an alarming speed, and he brought his weapon up just in time to block the attack from Harbinger. Qrow gritted his teeth as he and Christian fought to win the power struggle, each pushing with all their might to gain leverage.

Then something slammed into his side, and the blond man was sent flying sideways. He slammed into a tree and fell to the ground.

Sera and Qrow looked down at the man with raised eyebrows. "You know em?" Sera asked and rested Crimson Eclipse onto her shoulder.

"Think so. How's it been, Castelo?" Qrow asked. Christian's eyes widened at his last name, but he looked up to meet Qrow's eyes as he stood.

"Oh, same old same old. Preparing for a war, you know how it goes."

Qrow's eyes narrowed, "But the real question is, why were you spying on my niece and her friends?" Sera was glaring at the man, ready to leap into action at a moment's notice.

"Like I said," Christian responded as he hefted his enormous sword. "Preparing for a war."

In a blur of blond and gray (his holy knight-like clothing), he rushed forward in an instant. Sera's eyes widened and she leapt to the side, swinging her sword and hoping to land a hit. Qrow blocked his attack with relative ease, but the size of his sword made the huntsman's feet dig a shallow trench in the ground.

"You're working for her," Qrow said through gritted teeth as he shoved Christian back. The enemy huntsman landed with ease and raised his sword, "I am. It's a fight for survival, Qrow. And you know better than anyone that in order to survive, you must choose the winning side of the upcoming battle."

"Why aren't you with us then?" Sera asked, holding her sword with both hands. Christian smirked, "The legacy herself. Christian Castelo, pleased to make your acquaintance." He introduced himself to Sera. She only continued to stare him down, unimpressed.

"What do you want, Christian?" Qrow asked, standing in a fighting stance. The blond man only grinned, "Why, to ensure our victory, of course. And in order to do that, certain… Precautions must be taken." He said, looking over to Sera.

"The hell does that mean?" Sera demanded. Qrow replied, "The same thing Tai and I told you about. You're one of our two best shots against Salem." He made sure not to mention Ruby. For all he knew, Christian could have no idea about the daughter of Summer Rose.

"Quite right, Branwen." Christian bowed slightly. "The mistress wishes for Sera here to return to her castle, so that she can be…managed."

"Yeah, not happening," Sera muttered. She saw movement to her left, and her eyes flicked to it. A flash of pink had just gone behind a tree. Sera tried not to smirk at what her friends were doing. She looked past Christian and saw the tip of Crescent Rose peeking out from behind some bushes. Sera's signal worked. And by signal, she means the gunshot she made as soon as she and Qrow realized they were being watched.

"So what, you're gonna beat us both in battle and drag me back?" Sera asked. Christian gave a small smile and leaned onto his abnormally large weapon, "Why, yes. Though I would've preferred to not rope Qrow into this. He'll just make this a tad more difficult."

"Who is this guy?" Sera whispered to her teammate's uncle. Qrow shot her a look that got his point across, _'Tell you later'._

"That's just too bad. Probably could've taken you anyway, without Qrow's help." The amnesiac smirked. Qrow raised an eyebrow, "What're you doin'?" He asked under his breath.

"I highly doubt it. One huntress who hasn't even completed her training yet? Please, you'll be easier than Qrow's sister during _our_ time at Beacon."

Sera flinched at that. So that's how he knows Qrow. She recovered quickly, twirling her sword with one hand. "I dunno, I'm pretty tough. Ask Qrow."

"Kid, you're not dueling him. Trust me." Qrow told her. Sera smirked, "Why not? It's not like—" Then Christian was suddenly directly in front of her, his large sword raised above his head.

"OH MY GODS HE'S FAST!" Sera exclaimed and raised her sword. Just in time, too. His blade clashed against hers, the sheer weight of the swing making her go down on one knee.

"Kid!" Qrow exclaimed and rushed forward. Christian held his weapon in front of him with both hands, bracing himself for Qrow's attack. Capitalizing on the opportunity given, Sera rushed forward and swung her own sword. She heard metal clang against metal, then looked to see that Christian had somehow blocked both blows with his weapon. He gritted his teeth and pushed back, making the two stumble. But they recovered fast. Immediately, they rushed forward again.

The sounds of swords clashing filled the forest while JNPR and Ruby waited for another signal. Ruby peeked her head out, and her silver eyes widened. The three of them were a blur. They were attacking and moving so fast that her eyes could barely keep track of them. It reminded her of the skirmish with Winter Schnee.

Sera suddenly cried out in pain and was tossed from the fight. She landed on the ground, her sword clattering beside her. Nora gritted her teeth and was about to rush in, but Sera looked up and met all of their eyes. _'Wait,'_ She seemed to be saying. The amnesiac jumped to her feet and pulled out a red Dust crystal, sliding it into her sword's hilt. She winked at Ruby then jumped back into the fight.

Ruby groaned and gripped her scythe tighter. She hated standing by while her friends and family fought.

Sera kicked Christian in the side and made him stumble. He looked up to see Sera swinging her sword at him, so he instinctively raised his own to block it. The amnesiac smirked, and Christian's eyes widened as her sword's blade lit aflame with green fire.

His own sword was batted aside, mostly by his own hand. He couldn't risk his only tool being destroyed by the fire Dust.

The purple-eyed huntress grinned and slammed her sword into his weapon, pushing him back a meter or two. As soon as their weapons separated, Sera shouted, "Now!"

Five people burst from the bushes or behind trees. Ruby shouted and swung her scythe, Nora slammed her hammer downward, Pyrrha and Jaune attacked as one with their swords and shields, and Ren used his ninja-like reflexes to jump in and try to skewer the man.

Sera grinned, but when the dust cleared after the assault, Christian Castelo was nowhere to be found.

"Where'd he go?" Nora demanded, turning her head to check her surroundings. Ren holstered his pistols with a troubled look on his face, "He's just gone."

Qrow sighed and uncorked his flask. "Figured that would happen." Ruby put away Crescent Rose with a raised eyebrow, "What do you mean, Uncle Qrow?" Then her eyes widened, "Wait, what're you doing here?!"

Qrow gave a small smile and put a hand on the back of his neck, "Just making sure my ace gets to Mistral OK. But that man, Christian, being here like that, is not good news." He said and took a swig from his flask.

"But what was he doing here? He said something about Sera being a…legacy?" Pyrrha asked. Qrow gave another sigh and glanced at Sera. She nodded at him and rested Crimson Eclipse on her shoulder.

"What's your favorite fairytale?" He asked.

After a _long_ discussion with Qrow and Sera, the seven of them sat around in a circle in the middle of the forest. The two only told them what Ozpin would have, and didn't mention Sera's, ahem, parentage. Not quite yet. They'd brought down a couple trees to use as benches. After a moment, Nora spoke up, "So it's basically what Pyrrha told us?"

Sera, Qrow, and Ruby looked surprise at that. "You knew?" Ruby asked. Pyrrha let out a nervous chuckle, "Maybe?"

The older huntsman and Sera looked at each other. Had Qrow seriously forgotten the whole ordeal with Pyrrha almost becoming the Fall Maiden?

As if reading her mind, Qrow chuckled, "Whoops. I was probably hammered." Sera groaned and brought a hand to her face like Weiss does, which she didn't like, because it meant that some of Weiss's personality might've rubbed off on her.

"And you didn't tell me any of it?" Ruby asked, returning her attention to JNPR. Jaune gave an awkward smile. "We thought it was best to, y'know, keep it to ourselves. Nothing personal."

Ruby groaned.

"So," Sera said, breaking the momentary silence. "This woman. The one who wants to end the world and everything? Turns out that she and I are, ah, related." Her expression made it clear that she was uncomfortable, but they deserved to know the full truth. Especially Pyrrha.

Their eyes widened at that. "Like…she's cousin, like, thirty times removed?" Nora asked hopefully.

"Cold." Sera responded.

"A distant relative?"

"Colder."

"Your grandma?"

"Warm."

"Your aunt?" Nora asked.

"Warmer."

"…No way." She said and put her head in her hands. Jaune had an incredulous look on his face, "Your…mother?"

Sera nodded gravely.

"…Talk about dysfunctional families," Nora commented, trying to make light of the situation. Sera snickered and relaxed a little. Besides the shocked looks on her friends' faces, they were taking it relatively well.

"So let me get this straight," Jaune held up a finger. "The woman who wants to eradicate the human race, whom we have no way of defeating that we know of, ordered the attack on Beacon, and is also your mother."

"That about sums it up, yep." Sera twirled a lock of hair in her fingers.

"Naturally," Jaune sighed. Then Qrow's grizzled voice spoke up, "Actually, we might just have a shot at taking her down. Two, actually." He said, his eyes resting on Sera and Ruby. The younger scythe wielder's silver eyes widened, "You mean… my eyes?"

Qrow chuckled, "Close, kiddo. I was actually talking about you and Sera. Your silver eyes plus her, well, black and red ones, if that counts."

"Who to the what now?"

Sera recoiled. They'd forgotten to tell them about her body changing during the fight with Cinder. Plus from her dreams.

She didn't think their faces could look even more shocked, but after a quick explanation from the amnesiac, her friends looked like they'd just been told that gods actually do exist. _**(Heh.)**_

"You… transformed?" Ren asked. Qrow crossed his arms and nodded, "That she did. Supposedly gave her a little boost in battle. Although, didn't exactly have time to test it…"

Ruby gasped and stood, seeming to forget the metaphorical bomb that was dropped on them. "You could try it now! If it works, we can test it as much we need to!"

Sera couldn't help but smile at the excited light in Ruby's eyes. She didn't get pumped up about much these days.

Everyone looked at her expectantly, as if they were waiting for her to do a flip or something. She blinked, "What am I supposed to do?"

"You know! Transform like you did before!" Ruby answered. Sera chuckled nervously. The only known times where she's done that were in her dream fight against the Minotaur Grimm and the real fight against Cinder. Both were done out of pure spur of the moment. Doing it on command was improbable to her.

Nevertheless, she closed her eyes and concentrated. Ruby's smile grew while everyone seemed to lean in closer, paying more attention to her than they ever had during school. Well, except for Pyrrha and Ren, perhaps.

Sera's eyebrows narrowed in concentration. She held onto the log beneath her tightly. The huntress could feel something. She wasn't sure what, but she kept focusing on it.

"Well?" Nora asked impatiently.

Sera could feel it. The tug in her gut, her mind seeming to pick up speed. She felt her aura fluctuate momentarily. Then it happened.

"ACHOO!" She sneezed loudly.

Everyone blinked once. Then again. And again. After blinking a fourth time, Jaune exclaimed, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

Sera wiped her nose with the back of her hand, forcing herself to not smile. What could she say? It was funny.

Qrow chuckled, "Guess it was a misfire." Ruby groaned and slumped down. "After _all_ that, it was just a sneeze."

Pyrrha let out a laugh.

Everyone turned to see the red head holding a hand in front of her mouth. Despite the grim situation, she was laughing. That actually warmed her friends' hearts. Pyrrha was just about the most serious person they'd ever met and seeing her lose her composure like that was honestly unsettling, but nice.

Sera smirked, and Jaune put an arm around the Spartan. Qrow laughed dryly and stood, "Now that we're all caught up and on the same page, how about you all keep moving. You should be coming up on an abandoned village shortly."

Ruby raised an eyebrow, "You make it sound like you're not coming." Qrow ruffled her hair with a small smile on his face, "I'm not. For now. Christian is still out there, probably watching us right now. I need to find him before he tries anything else."

"I'm going too," Sera stood. Qrow shot her a look, "Hard no. You're going to stay with them and make sure nothing happens to my niece. _Right,_ Sera?"

Sera crossed her arms and sat down, muttering something to herself about stupid responsibilities.

"That's what I thought," Qrow chuckled and picked up Harbinger. "If I don't meet up with you by time you get to Kuroyuri—"

Ren and Nora stiffened at the mention of their old home.

"—Then keep going on to Mistral. I'll find you there."

"What if you don't come back?" Ruby asked, twiddling her thumbs together. Qrow only smirked and ruffled her hair again, "C'mon, you know who you're talking to? Not even the Brother of Darkness could keep me from getting back to my favorite niece."

Ruby seemed to perk up at being called his favorite niece. She could lord that over Yang for years, if she so chooses.

Feeling that Ruby was satisfied with his statement, Qrow left the six of them to track his former classmate.

Just like that, Qrow was gone. Sera sighed and stood, "You heard him, let's get going."

"What're you gonna do about your mothe- about Salem?" Pyrrha caught herself. Sera hesitated and met the girl's emerald eyes. Then she smirked and hefted her sword, "I'll wing it."

"I find that answer vague and unconvincing," Ren commented, but the amnesiac ignored him. She continued on down the path they had been walking down before they were attacked.

. . .

The distant gray structure of concrete walls appeared on the horizon. Sera, Ruby, and team JNPR had been walking for five more hours when they arrived at the supposed abandoned village. Ren and Nora were on the lookout for anything large in the trees.

All of their minds were reeling from what they had talked about with Qrow, especially the part about Sera. She, however, seemed relatively calm. She'd already known all of that, and she's had weeks to come to terms with it.

Sera walked beside Pyrrha as they neared the entrance to the village. The spartan glanced at her every few seconds, as if she expected Sera to suddenly look completely different. The amnesiac's explanation of how she looked in that 'form' painted an unclear picture in their minds, but they knew it was unsettling.

After passing through the gate to the village, Sera and Pyrrha, who were leading the group, immediately went on guard. It was only a precaution, but a precaution that could save their lives. The six of them were silent as they walked through the village.

Something was wrong. They could feel it in the air. They'd almost made in the dead center of town when Sera halted, holding up a hand in a 'stop' signal.

"What is it?" Nora asked. The amnesiac's eyes shot from side to side, expecting someone. The others drew their weapons and got into a tight circle. Sera's eyes widened slightly when she heard the sound of running footsteps.

Ruby saw him first, but before she could even cry out to warn her friends, Sera sprung into action. She whipped around, drawing her sword instantaneously, and blocked the attack that was meant for Ruby, her weapon locked in place directly in front of the girl's face.

Sera gritted her teeth at the man before her. He looked extra creepy, with pale skin, wild eyes, and a long, braided ponytail. Bladed gauntlets were on his wrists, and one of them was what Sera had blocked. He sneered and lurched backwards, freeing his weapon from the amnesiac's hold.

Team JNPR turned to face the newcomer with narrowed eyes and hostile intent. "Who are you?" Jaune demanded, brandishing his new sword and shield.

The man gave a wicked grin at them, "Why, who I am is unimportant. But I will not deny an honest question. Tyrian, at your service." He bent forward and bowed low, his forehead nearly touching the ground.

The huntsmen were unimpressed. But that didn't faze Tyrian. He stood straight and met their eyes, "But the _why_ that I'm here? Well, that gets much more interesting." He said, then lunged.

Ruby barely had time to deflect his gauntlets. With a yelp, she blocked the blows, giving her friends enough time to counterattack. They rushed the man, swinging their respective weapons. He somehow dodged them all, giving Ruby an evil grin.

After he wove through the flurry of weapons, Tyrian leapt back and clapped his hands once. "Bravo! But enough of this nonsense. I am here for you…" He pointed at Ruby. "And you!" The man turned his finger to Sera, who raised her sword in response.

"Why?" Pyrrha asked. Tyrian turned his eyes to the red head, "Ah yes, the almost Maiden. You were supposed to die, you know. It was part of the plan. You can thank _her_ for your continued life." He gestured to Sera. That caught Pyrrha off-guard.

Nora didn't give him a chance to keep talking. She rushed the man and swung her large hammer at him. Tyrian didn't flinch, nor even move. Yet the hammer still halted mid-swing.

The huntsmen and huntresses' eyes widened when they saw a large scorpion tail holding the hammer at bay.

"A Faunus?" Ren asked. Jaune wavered, "Is this about the White Fang?"

Tyrian sneered, "Those mongrels? No, I only serve _one_ person. My mistress." He said 'mistress' way too lovingly. It was creepy.

"Salem," Sera scowled and tightened her grip on Crimson Eclipse. Tyrian grinned, "That's right, brat. Now! If you won't come with me willingly, then…!"

The strange Faunus lunged, bringing up his bladed gauntlets. Team JNPR, Ruby, and Sera went on the defensive. He was fast. Too fast. Every time they tried to attack, he'd simply evade it or block the blow with his gauntlets or tail.

Sera gritted her teeth and tried to kick him the side, only to be tossed aside by his flexible tail. Ruby narrowed her eyes and launched herself towards the Faunus and swung her scythe. He simply ducked and kicked Ruby in the back, sending her sprawling.

The fight continued, both parties trying to land any damaging attacks on the other, when Qrow Branwen was suddenly seen sprinting towards them. The huntsman jumped forward once he got near and swung his large sword at Tyrian.

The Beacon students took a moment to collect themselves and process what had just happened. They panted while Qrow and Tyrian stared each other down.

"As I live and breathe! Qrow Branwen, in the flesh." Tyrian laughed maniacally. After another several seconds of his laughter, Qrow raised an eyebrow and looked at Ruby.

"I don't know," She shrugged. "This guy's weird."

Sera twirled her sword and went to stand by Qrow. "Guy's trying to kidnap me and Ruby."

Qrow's eyes narrowed at that, "Is that so?" Tyrian only grinned, his yellow eyes flashing in the moonlight. Out of nowhere, Jaune appeared behind him and swung his sword.

Tyrian didn't even flinch. He sidestepped the attack and wrapped his tail around Jaune's ankle, pulling him to the ground. Before the Faunus could attack him further, Pyrrha and Nora lunged. Tyrian countered Nora easily, evading her hammer and slicing her across the chest with his weapons. Pyrrha, however, managed to land a blow.

She threw her shield at him and dropped to the ground, sliding towards him to take his knees. Her shield collided with his tail, freeing Jaune, and she slammed her sword into his leg to momentarily incapacitate him.

Ren shot at the Faunus with his duel pistols and ran around him to attack from all angles.

Qrow lunged Tyrian, slamming his sword into the Faunus and causing his aura to flicker. "Stay back!" He told the students. The huntsman said it in such a tone that it startled even Ruby.

"Fat chance, old man!" Sera replied and swung her sword, only to be deflected by a gauntlet. Tyrian growled and pushed Qrow back, slicing rapidly at the huntsman. He swiftly deflected the deadly precise blows and delivered a few of his own with Harbinger.

"I'm not going to just stand by!" Ruby cried and launched herself via Crescent Rose's recoil. Tyrian slammed his leg into her during max velocity, and Ruby flew back a dozen meters, directly into Jaune.

Sera narrowed her eyes and picked up the pace, getting low to the ground and rapidly jabbing Crimson Eclipse at Tyrian. Her sword was a blur of shiny red metal, stabbing the Faunus repeatedly. She was pleased with herself that she'd managed to land so many blows, but they didn't seem to do much.

Tyrian cackled maniacally as he fought the pair of them with relative ease. Team JNPR looked uncomfortable that all they could do was watch, but someone would soon fix that.

"Mind if I cut in?" a voice said, then Pyrrha turned to see Christian Castelo swinging his large sword at her. The huntress had no time to react. The weapon collided with her side and sent her flying.

"Pyrrha!" Ren cried. Sera looked back to see the man with long blond hair, still in a swinging stance. She gritted her teeth and fought harder against Tyrian. Then she saw Ruby looking at her with a determined look in her silver eyes.

Sera quickly formulated a plan in her head, glanced at Qrow fighting with relatively calm expression, then shouted, "Switch!"

Ruby understood immediately. She launched herself at Tyrian while Sera jumped back to punch Christian in the chest. The blonde man was launched backwards, crashing through a small building and making a Christian-sized hole in the wall.

"Ruby, I said get back!" Qrow protested. Ruby fired round after round at Tyrian while swinging her scythe widely, "This is my fight too!"

Christian came out of the hole he'd made in a blur. Sera barely raised her sword in time to block it. His formerly straight hair stuck up in places on his head and his eyes looked angry.

"I'm _not_ going to be humiliated by some child," He growled and fought to push Sera's sword away. It didn't budge.

"Bud," Sera smirked. "You're about to be much more than just humiliated here." Then she freed her sword and swung rapidly, barely giving him time to block or deflect them. For several seconds, they traded blows. Their swordsmanship seemed rather equal, neither of them giving an inch.

During the power struggle, Sera was grinning and cheering out as she fought. "Woo-hoo! Woo-hoo-hoo!" She shouted as she and Christian fought, further angering the man.

He was about to try something risky, but a sudden flash of pink made him jump back to avoid the orange-haired girl bringing her hammer down on the pavement. Then Jaune and Pyrrha rushed forward, both slicing their weapons at him. He blocked both of them and gritted his teeth.

"Figured you could use some help," Ren told the amnesiac, then rushed forward to make use of his pistols' melee attachments. Sera rolled her eyes with a grin on her face, "I could've handled it!" Then she ran forward to help her friends.

"Sorry!" Pyrrha told her while she fought viciously.

"We know you could have, but we have more pressing matters!" Jaune said, quickly gesturing to Qrow and Ruby. Sera turned her head to see that their fight wasn't going all that well. While they weren't exactly being beaten, they couldn't quite land many attacks on Tyrian, either.

Sera decided she'd quickly stop Christian, then go help Ruby. The amnesiac jumped into the fight, desperately trying to land as many hits as possible on Christian.

Unfortunately, the enemy huntsman seemed a little too good with that sword of his. He rather easily deflected the hits and bullets thrown his way, but it was no easy feat. With five opponents, he had to move at a rapid pace just to keep up. His eyes were wild, but he finally seemed to start tiring out.

Ren was landing more and more hits with his blades, Jaune and Pyrrha battered him with their swords and shields, Sera was, well, Sera, but Nora seemed to have a slightly harder time. Since she had a larger and slower weapon, Christian was still able to avoid her ground-shaking blows.

Sera heard a cry of pain and looked back to see Ruby fly back and through a wooden support beam. She gritted her teeth and returned her focus to her current opponent.

She remembered the man's conversation with Qrow, about him being his former classmate. Then she remembered that this man was a traitor to his friends and kingdom, and she started to get mad. Betraying your own people because you were afraid of the enemy? Of their power and plans? She couldn't wrap her head around it.

With an angry look in her eyes, she waited until her friends weren't too close to him, then she shouted," STOP!"

Christian turned his blue eyes to meet hers just before everything around Sera came to a silent halt. She quickly rushed forward and delivered dozens of rapid strikes to his midsection. Her sword was once again a blur, delivering a massive amount of damage to his aura, and hopefully, his body.

Once she was satisfied with the melee attacks, she jumped back, shoved the tip of her sword into the ground, and immediately drew her revolver. The amnesiac fan-fired all of its rounds at him without hesitation. Just before the Dust bullets came into contact with him, they halted in midair.

She straightened and spun the gun on her finger, and as soon as she holstered it and muttered, "Time resumes," everything around her moved again. The damage she'd caused registered instantaneously and his aura shattered. The Dust rounds were the final nails on the coffin. Her handgun's custom cylinder held nine rounds, and all of them went into torso.

Christian cried out in pain as he flew back and crashed the ground. Sera's expression was grim as she held her hand on the gun she'd just holstered.

Team JNPR blinked at the sudden occurrence and turned to look at Sera.

"Nice one," Was all Jaune could say as Sera pulled her sword free and approached the enemy huntsman.

She stood over him with a distasteful look in her eyes. The man's eyes were glassy, and his chest heaved heavily as he took labored breaths. Blood seeped out of his bullet and sword wounds, staining his white clothes.

The amnesiac sheathed her blade and looked down at the huntsman. Despite the situation, she still pitied him.

"The truth is that you're just a coward and a traitor, and quite frankly you deserve worse death. But I'll grant you this one kindness instead of letting you bleed out and die a painful death. Because from what Qrow says, you used to actually be a pretty decent guy," Sera said as she reloaded her revolver and aimed it down at him.

Christian gave a pained laugh as he looked up to her. "We're all going to die at her hands anyway, daughter of Salem. Just you wait. Your fate was sealed the minute you were born—"

Then she pulled the trigger.

The gunshot rang out across the empty village, and Pyrrha put a hand over her mouth. Sera holstered her gun and trudged back towards JNPR.

"That was… I don't even know what to say," Jaune said.

"You…killed him," Ren said. Sera halted and turned to look at her former classmates. "As horrible and cruel it is, that has to be done now. If you don't kill them, they kill you. Just ask Qrow." She said with bitterness in her voice. After the incident in Patch with Yang, she wasn't taking any chances. She wasn't going to let anything happen to the people she cared about. Especially not happened to Yang with Adam.

Team JNPR only stared at their friend as she made her way back to help Ruby and Qrow. They were taken completely surprised by the amnesiac's action. None of them had seen that look of sheer fury in the huntress's eyes.

Sera shouted as she lunged forward and swung her weapon. Tyrian, who had been occupied with fending off Qrow and Ruby, was taken completely by surprise as a crimson sword appeared seemingly out of nowhere and collided with his ribcage. The Faunus growled as he retreated back several meters.

That gave Ruby and Qrow a moment to catch their breath, and they went to stand beside Sera. "Castelo?" Qrow asked. Sera shook her head in response, not meeting the huntsman's eyes. He nodded grimly and turned his attention back to his opponent.

Tyrian began too cackle again, much to their dismay. It was an annoying sound to all of them. "Christian's down?" He asked. Then his eyes narrowed, "Good."

Sera's eyes widened as the Faunus attacked again, his wrist blades and tail swinging widely. The huntsman and huntresses reacted immediately, deflecting she attacks to the best of their ability. As soon as the amnesiac raised her sword again, she realized something: she was winded. She'd spent too much energy during her semblance use. Sera panted as she blocked the quick strikes. She and the others would have to end this quickly or she'd collapse soon.

' _Damn strong friggin' semblance, having negative effects on my body and stuff,'_ She thought to herself and redirected Tyrian's tail into the ground. The stinger plunged into the concrete and was momentarily stuck. Sera's eyes widened and a lightbulb went off in her head. A way to incapacitate Tyrian for long enough to take him down.

Sera smirked, "That the best you got, tough guy?" Tyrian's eyes narrowed and he seemed direct his next flurry of attacks at her. "You'll have to try harder than that to bait me," He said as he continued to attack all three of them.

"Doesn't seem like it, tail boy. Looks like I can bait you just fine," She landed a swift kick to his rear. Tyrian gritted his teeth, his pupils turning smaller. He shouted out and swung his tail at her. She was almost too slow to catch his stinger. The tip of his tail was aimed right for her chest, and it would've hit her if it wasn't for her semblance. She knew it was dangerous to use it again when she was this tired already, but the amnesiac had no choice. Everything around her came to a halt, just for a moment. More than long enough for Sera to avoid the tail.

Tyrian's eyes narrowed when all motion resumed. Qrow managed to land a hit on the Faunus, sending him flying back far enough for Sera to catch her breath. Ruby went after the Faunus and pressed him further.

"Take a sec to catch your breath, kid. You're about to fall over." Qrow told her quickly. He was right. She leaned heavily onto her sword and her chest heaved. "No, I can still go. You're not gonna do this alone." She panted.

Qrow smiled lightly.

"Qrow, a little help!" Ruby called. She was desperately fighting Tyrian, using her scythe skills and speed semblance to her full ability.

"Kid, we're not alone." Qrow nodded his head behind Sera. She turned to see JNPR approaching her from behind. Jaune put his hand on her shoulder and smiled gently, "We can handle this." Pyrrha nodded in agreement, "Just stay back for a moment."

Sera sighed in defeat, "Fine. Now go get him, cause it looks like Ruby's about to lose it." They looked to see that she was right. Ruby was losing the fight horribly, taking more and more hits to her aura.

"WOULD YOU HELP ME ALREADY?!" Ruby demanded, swinging her scythe in wide, fluid motions to keep Tyrian back. Qrow and JNPR immediately rushed to her aid, using their respective weapons to keep up the pressure on Tyrian.

The amnesiac narrowed her eyes at the fight before her and transformed her sword into its rifle form. She quickly aimed down its sights pointed the rifle at Tyrian. After a moment, she groaned and lowered the weapon. Her friends were getting in the way of her shot too much, and she was breathing too hard to hold the gun steady. Sera slung the weapon over her shoulder and leaned against a nearby wall.

She desperately wanted to help. But she knew if she tried, it wouldn't end well. Instead, she took the opportunity to catch her breath. Sera sat on the ground and closed her eyes, resting her palms onto her knees. Taking quick and exercised breaths, she felt her breathing return to normal.

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. And what she saw, was not calming. Jaune, Nora, Ren, and Ruby were sprawled on the ground. Pyrrha and Qrow fought furiously, blocking and parrying Tyrian's attacks. The Faunus himself seemed enthused about the fight, if the way that he was cackling and moving was any indication. Ruby and the others were getting to their feet when Tyrian jumped up to a half-built building. Qrow and Pyrrha followed him, shakily maintaining their balance.

Ruby tightened her jaw and jumped towards the Faunus. He easily parried it and kicked the huntress down.

"Ruby, stay back! Pyrrha and I will take it from here!" Qrow told her. Ruby glared at the Faunus and stood, "This is my fight too!" Then she hefted her scythe and jumped again. Tyrian swatted her aside once more. Pyrrha threw her shield at the Faunus and caught him the chest, knocking him off the building.

"No, it's not that-!" Qrow said as he jumped down, but whatever he was gonna say was cut short by Tyrian.

Sera narrowed her eyes and stood. She didn't care how tired she was. But her mistake was taking a step forward. Blackness surrounded the edges of her vision and her head swam. She almost collapsed, but the amnesiac willed herself forward.

She decided her sword was currently too cumbersome, so she dropped it and sprinted towards the skirmish.

Sera almost made it, too. But a large wooden beam collapsed and threatened to fall on a lunging Ruby. Suddenly, the beam was sliced in half, and Qrow stood there. He'd saved his niece.

Ruby gave a small smile, but it melted as soon as Qrow winced and gasped in pain. Sera shouted, Ruby looked shocked, Tyrian smiled. He'd landed a hit with his venomous tail. A large scratch was on Qrow's ribcage from the stinger, and his hand hovered shakily above it.

Sera yelled, and a giant pulse of purple aura was sent out of her. As soon as the aura passed, everything within it slowed to a halt. Pure spur of the moment made her activate her semblance once more, this time more powerful than it had ever been before.

The amnesiac looked down at her own hands and sighed, in relief because her skin was still normal. No white skin with black veins. No red eyes.

She looked up to see Tyrian still frozen in the stance he'd been in after scratching Qrow. Sera gritted her teeth and stomped towards the Faunus with her fists clenched. She knew she'd be in trouble as soon as her semblance ended, but for now, she felt powerful. And she was going to demonstrate just how powerful on Tyrian.

Looking up at Qrow, still frozen in time, she had a troubled expression on her face. She knew what scorpions were, and it didn't take a genius to guess what was going to come from that wound.

Then she looked back at Tyrian and clenched her jaw. Sera punched him across the face once. Twice. Three times. Then, she was madly using both her hands to deliver blows to the Faunus. His face turned in the direction of every blow, but Sera was punching with so much speed that it looked like he was shaking his head 'no'.

After she got all her stored-up anger at the man out of her system, she reared back one last time, activating the one gauntlet of Ember Celica. Sera smirked, then punched Tyrian square in the chest, blasting a round from the weapon as soon as it came into contact with him.

Coincidentally, as soon as the shotgun blast rung out, Sera's semblance had ended, and time resumed. _Also_ coincidentally, Ruby had arranged Crescent Rose in such a way that, when Tyrian was launched backwards from the force of the blow, the scythe sliced cleanly through his tail, just a few inches below where the tail ended and stinger began.

Tyrian let out a pained scream as he flew through the air and into a distant wall. Purple venom splashed onto the ground from his severed tail, and Sera stood smirking, her fist still raised with Ember Celica. She lowered her arms, and the gauntlet transformed back into its bracelet form.

But as soon as she did that, the huntress promptly collapsed. She blacked out instantly and crumpled to the ground.

Before anyone could run to her aid, Tyrian climbed out of the broken wall, his tail whipping around violently and spraying venom around.

"You _BITCH!"_ He screamed in the direction of them, but no one was sure if he was yelling at Sera or Ruby. He looked like he was going to attack again, but everyone readied their weapons, and he cowered as if he remembered something horrible.

"She'll forgive you. She'll forgive you," He muttered to himself, then leaped over the village wall, and disappeared. Team JNPR and Ruby immediately rushed to help Qrow and Sera. Qrow had fallen to the ground, clutching his wound. Ruby helped him to his feet and put one of his arms around her shoulders. Pyrrha and Nora knelt on either side of Sera to check on her, and Jaune and Ren stood on guard in case Tyrian or some other freak showed up.

"Sera!" Nora shook her shoulders, but it was no use. She was out cold. Her chest heaved in her sleep, which was good because it means she's still breathing. Pyrrha wiped the dirt and grime from her face and tried to make the amnesiac comfortable.

"Is she okay?" Ren asked with worry clear in his voice. Ruby said, "She'll be fine. She just needs rest. That's the hardest she's pushed herself with her semblance." Qrow nodded in agreement, "Right. But let's get the hell outta here. The further we get away, the better."

. . .

They were going to build two stretchers, but Nora volunteered to carry Sera around like a sack of potatoes. After the fight, team JNPR and Ruby helped Sera and Qrow along until they set up camp a good distance away from the village. Qrow tried to piece together and explain Tyrian's arrival, and he came to the conclusion that it was nothing good.

"Take us? Where? Why?" Ruby asked. They'd just discussed what Tyrian had said to them. Qrow gave her a look, "You know why. They want to get you two out of the way to make their job easier. Lucky for us, you and Snowball over there are tough cookies. Right, Snowball?" Qrow turned to look at Sera laying on her bedroll that they laid out for her. She gave no response; she was still unconscious.

"See? When I'm right, I'm right." Qrow chuckled. Pyrrha looked at the sleeping amnesiac, "She looks so peaceful. Hard to think she's such a pain in the rear when she's like this."

If only they knew what was going on in her head right now.

Sera was surrounded by blackness in her dreams. She stumbled through the dark, feeling her way through as if she were trying to find a wall or something.

"Hello?" She called. No answer. Then, she felt a heavy presence. She whipped around to see a tall woman standing in front of her. She had chalk-white skin, black veins, black sclera, and glowing red eyes.

The woman smiled, and Sera's eyes widened in horror. She saw all sorts of images in those eyes. Grimm attacking, villages burning, men and women dying, and children… Well, it's better to not describe that.

Sera stumbled backwards, trying to get away.

"What's wrong, daughter? Don't you recognize your own loving mother?" The woman said in an alluring voice.

"Why do you think I'm trying to get away?" Sera asked rhetorically. Salem stifled a laugh, "Just like your father, laughing in the face of danger."

"I wouldn't know. Never met him." Sera managed. Salem smiled, "Oh, but you will. He'll be your… how do you say? 'Roommate'."

Sera didn't wait for an explanation. She turned and bolted, only for Salem to reappear in her path.

"What's wrong? Don't want to spend time with mommy?" Salem frowned. Sera shivered at that. It was just plain creepy.

"Ri-i-i-ght. Well, while I'd just _love_ to stick around, my friends need me—"

Salem sighed, "You could be great, you know. It's all here," Salem tapped her own temple with her index finger, "In your head. All you need is to _join_ me, daughter, and I'll show you _just_ how powerful you truly are. She waved her hand, and a figure appeared in front of Sera, and she gasped. Standing in front of her was, well, her. Except it wasn't. The clone wore her exact clothing and looked like a mirror image, except her eyes were red, her skin white, and her veins black. The sheer blackness of the clone's sclera was frightening. Sera took a step back, and Salem smiled.

"This is your true form, you know. Curse your father's blood. If you'd stayed like _me,_ you'd see the world as I do."

"And how is that?" Sera asked. She was playing for time, trying to keep the woman talking until she woke. Salem gave a small smile. "Vile, corrupt, and riddled with filth. Mortal humans have had their time, and they messed it up again. The Brothers shouldn't have given them a second chance."

Sera stilled. What was she talking about? Before she could ask, Salem continued talking. "But I know you'll come to my side eventually. It's only a matter of time. Your friends fear you, daughter. They won't admit it, but it's true. And that little thing you did, killing that former huntsman? It didn't help any."

Sera balled her fists. Salem was toying with her, trying to deceive her. But…maybe she wasn't entirely wrong. She did shoot down that man, but she had no choice. She was going to defend her friends to the best of her ability.

"Get out of my head," Sera growled. The clone of herself in front of her smiled, and it sent chills up her spine.

"Very well, daughter. But you'll realize it soon enough: humans have had their time. Goodbye, _daughter."_ Salem waved her hand, and the blackness in her head faded, and a bright light took its place. When the light faded, she saw Yang Xiao Long, but she looked…different. Yang was riding on Bumblebee, her brown coat whipping in the wind and a pair of aviator shades on her face. But what really startled Sera was that she had a metal yellow arm in place of her missing one.

Sera woke with a start. Her eyes shot open to see trees and blue sky above her. After a quick glance around, she discovered that she was being carried off of the ground. She started to sit up, but Pyrrha's voice stopped her, "Hey, just relax. You're probably not well enough yet."

She did as she was told and laid back against the handmade stretcher. She was being carried down the trail by Pyrrha and Nora. Ruby and Jaune were carrying Qrow on a similar stretcher while Ren was on guard.

Sera sighed and looked up at the few clouds she could see, "How long?" Pyrrha understood her vague question, "Just a day. I'm surprised you woke up so soon." She said honestly.

"So you all have been carrying Qrow, who I'm sure has been poisoned or something, and I on these stretchers all day?"

"Well, your stretcher was made recently. Up until then, Nora had been carrying you over her shoulder."

Sera raised an eyebrow at the grinning Valkyrie, "Is that why my body feels so sore?" She asked rhetorically.

"Well, partly. You probably mainly feel sore cause of the fight, but I'm sure that first class on the Nora Express didn't help too much either." Pyrrha allowed a small smile.

"Hey!" Nora puffed out her cheeks. Sera smiled and rested her arms behind her head. "Well, it could be worse. How's Qrow?"

Pyrrha's smile faltered, "Not too well. Tyrian's venom is doing a number on him. His aura is helping a little, but if we don't get proper medical attention soon…"

She didn't need to finish her sentence. Sera frowned and looked up to see Jaune's back facing her, Qrow laying directly in front of him.

"I swear if you die on us, I'm gonna kill you, old man!" Sera cupped her hands around her mouth. Ruby suppressed a smile, "Sera's up."

"As loud as ever." Jaune grinned. Then they came to a fork in the road. A single sign with several names pointing in different directions stood between the two paths.

Ren immediately ran forward to inspect it, and Ruby and Jaune set Qrow on the ground to go with him. Sera couldn't hear what they were saying, but they seemed to be discussing where to go.

"Get us closer," She told Pyrrha. The red head obliged. She was just as curious as Sera.

"No, we're _not_ splitting up!" Jaune said. Ruby looked impatient and Ren looked like he was gonna explode.

"What's going on?" Nora asked, then her eyes widened. A particular town name on the sign was scratched out: Kuroyuri.

"Ren won't go through Kuroyuri, even though it's the fastest way to Mistral," Jaune replied. Ren didn't say anything.

"So I suggested we split up. Ren, Nora, and Pyrrha could go up the mountain to get a lay of the land, while the rest of us go to the village to scavenge for supplies; anything we could use to help Uncle Qrow." Ruby put in.

"I don't like it… But it's not a terrible plan, minus the splitting up." Pyrrha put a hand to her chin in thought.

"It's best that Ren and I not go there anyway. Trust me," Nora added. Before anyone could ask what she meant, Qrow made a pained groaning noise.

"Let's just do it. We can regroup in Mistral, if we don't before then," Jaune sighed, finally agreeing. Ruby looked down to Sera, who had surprisingly been quiet this whole time. "What about Sera? She can't walk yet."

Taking that as a challenge, Sera immediately sat up. "Yes I can." But as soon as her feet touched the ground and she stood, she stumbled. Ruby caught her before she could fall on her face.

"Okay. With some _help_ I can." Sera sighed. She put an arm around Ruby's shoulders and leaned onto her for support.

"Fine. We'll meet back soon. Stay safe," Jaune told everyone. Sera managed to stand on her own, using Crimson Eclipse as a crutch. Jaune and Pyrrha told each other goodbye while Ruby waved at Ren and Nora. After a moment, three of the members of team JNPR ran up the opposing dirt path, and up the mountain trail. Ruby and Jaune picked Qrow up once more and walked down the other path, Sera following behind as best as she could

Sera was grumbling about not being able to take the strain of her own semblance, when they came upon the ruins of an old village. The four of them made it to the center of town when they set Qrow onto the ground. By then, Sera was walking without the help of her sword now and was steadily getting better at keeping her balance.

Qrow wasn't looking too good. His skin was clammy and sweat perspired on his forehead. His eyes were slightly glassy and he looked like he had a fever.

Sera bent down and checked him, putting the back of her hand to his forehead. After a moment, she went down to unwrap his bandages, and what they saw was not pretty.

"It's green," Jaune noted. Sera reached into her pack to pull out a shirt, ripping it up to make bandages. "We have re-dress it. Ruby?"

The scythe wielder shook her head, as if coming out of a daze. She met Sera's violet eyes questioningly.

"Can you see if there's any medicine around here? Probably in an old pharmacy or something?"

Ruby nodded, took one last look at Qrow, then headed off towards the ruined buildings.

"There's probably not anything around. Looks like this place has been abandoned for a while," Jaune said. Sera tied off the makeshift bandage around Qrow's torso and looked up at him, "Yeah, I know. But she needed something to do, something to make her feel like she's doing something to help. Did you see her?"

Jaune nodded, "She looked like she was gonna pass out." Sera stood and wiped her hands, "Exactly. Now—"

That's when a very loud, and very startling roar echoed across the town. Jaune and Sera immediately stood on guard, hefting their respective weapons and scanning for any sign of a threat.

"Sounded far away," Sera murmured. Jaune held his shield a bit higher. "Yeah. But we still have people out there." The amnesiac nodded and relaxed her stance, holding Crimson Eclipse at her side. They heard fast footsteps approaching them, so the two turned to see Ruby running in their direction. "What was _that?"_ She asked, Crescent Rose ready to attack.

"We don't know," Jaune answered as he relaxed his stance as well. "But we can't stay here. We need to get Qrow out of here before—"

 _ROOOOOOOOOOOOOAARGGGH_

"That was closer this time!" Sera said as she readied her sword. That's when they saw Nora, Ren, and Pyrrha running through the entrance of the village.

"There's the others!" Ruby pointed. Ren looked extremely alarmed. He and the others came to a halt in front of them, each of them panting hard.

"What's going on?" Sera demanded. Before they could answer, a loud rumbling sounded, shaking the ground with each thunderous impact. Ren fell to his knees in despair. "No…" He muttered.

Then they saw it. Pyrrha and Nora's eyes widened, gazing past Sera with horror on their faces. Sera, Jaune, and Ruby whipped around to see what their friends were looking at. And Sera dropped her sword. Crimson Eclipse clattered to the stone ground as she stared at the beast approaching them.

It was massive, easily twenty feet tall. It appeared to be a large Grimm horse and rider, only the rider melded into the horse's back at this waist. The horse had glowing red eyes, black fur, and large cloven hooves. White bone covered its body and face, like most Grimm have. But the humanoid part of it… it sent shivers down Sera's spine. The humanoid body was horribly skinny, with long arms and claws that reached the ground. Its head picked up to inspect them, its evil red eyes glowing with a creepy light of pure nightmare. Long horns curved above its head, reaching back towards its back.

The beast's humanoid head twitched rapidly from side to side, giving off a vibe of pure insanity.

None of the huntsmen moved, but Pyrrha, Nora, Jaune, and Ruby did ready their weapons, prepared to leap into action at any moment. Ren was still down, glaring up at the Grimm with hatred in his eyes.

Sera bent down to pick up her sword. That was a mistake. As soon as the creature heard the sound of Crimson Eclipse's blade scraping against stone, it threw back its large head and shot its long arms towards her.

"Scatter!" Jaune ordered, and they all ran in different directions. But they forgot something.

Sera looked back and stepped in front of the downed Qrow. With some effort, she deflected the Grimm's arm and shot it past her.

"Get Qrow out of here!" She shouted as she dodged another attack and sliced into its arm, trying to keep its attention on her. Jaune was immediately at her side, helping Qrow up and putting one of the huntsman's arms around his shoulders. As soon as they lumbered away, the Grimm turned its creepy head towards them.

The horse ran after them, its large hooves thundering against the ground. Sera tried to jump in front of it, but she was too slow. One of its arms slammed her to the ground, and she could only watch in horror as the Grimm went to trample them.

But Pyrrha Nikos happened. She leaped in front of the beast and slammed her javelin into its humanoid head. The spartan landed on the horse's back and raised her shield.

The Grimm roared directly into her face. A loud, horrible screeching roar that would've made a lesser warrior clutch their ears or jump off. But Pyrrha stood there, unmoving. She glared at the beast and jabbed the point of her javelin into its chest, impaling it all the way through. The humanoid body writhed and screeched in pain and tried to whack her with its arms, but Pyrrha held fast. She slammed her shield in its face in a punching motion, then freed her javelin and jumped off, but not before kicking the horse in the side of the head.

Its path was altered when she kicked it, and the beast ran directly into a building. Pyrrha landed nimbly and raised her weapons. Sera only gaped at what she'd done, then gripped her sword tightly and sprinted for the Grimm. But before she could make it too far, a large hammer appeared in her path and stopped her.

"No, don't fight it head on," Nora told her, her expression serious.

"I'm not going to just stand by!" Sera told her in an irritated tone. Nora didn't move. "Well that's too bad, girly! We've already got one huntsman down, and you were in no condition to walk just ten minutes ago! Now do us all a favor and _stay back."_

Sera wanted to get angry, but she knew that Nora was right. Plus, just one look in her turquoise eyes told her everything. She wasn't annoyed with Sera for being so stubborn and hardheaded, she was worried.

The Grimm screeched again as it withstood attacks from Ren, Ruby, and Pyrrha. With a heavy sigh, Sera slung her sword over her back. "Fine. But I'm not going to do nothing."

Nora cracked a smile, "I never _said_ to do nothing. I just said don't fight it head on." Sera grinned at the Valkyrie, and an understanding passed between them. The amnesiac quickly drew her revolver and spun it on her finger. "You got it, Pancakes."

Nora frowned at her, "You did not just call me 'Pancakes'." Then Sera cracked a smile, "'Fraid so," then she looked past Nora. "Heads up."

She turned around just in time for a long, black arm to slam into her chest and send her flying. Nora collided with a building and fell to the ground, dazed. Sera grinned and fired several rounds at the beast from her revolver.

Now, I know what you're thinking: Why doesn't she use the rifle form of her weapon for more range and versatility? Well, the answer is simple. That rifle doesn't have the firepower to punch baseball-sized holes into the Grimm.

The creature, who Sera would later learn is a Nuckelavee, screeched in pain as six high-velocity rounds punctured its hide. Just as it reared back, Ruby quickly slashed Crescent Rose across its horse body.

Sera reloaded her hand cannon and took aim once more. She fan-fired the entire cylinder into its humanoid chest and caused it to roar again. She spun the gun on her finger as she popped another cylinder into it.

"Let's party," She said as she aimed the gun, prepared to loose another volley of rounds into the beast.

The fight went relatively well for the next several moments. Ren circled the Grimm and fired his guns, Jaune, Pyrrha, and Ruby sliced into it wherever they could, and Nora went between firing off her grenade launcher and slamming her large hammer into it.

Sera stayed back and shot from a distance, much to her dislike. But from back there, she could see everything that was happening. Plus, she was the least likely to be hit. But she saw everything that was going wrong. They weren't doing enough damage to the monster, despite their efforts, and Ren seemed to be attacking irrationally. He charged it without thinking, over and over again.

After a particularly heavy blow, the pink-eyed boy was thrown over to Sera. She looked down at him, and for the first time, she saw fury in his eyes. Before he could charge off again, she caught his arm and pulled him back.

"The hell's the matter with you?" She demanded. He ignored her, yanking his arm to get free. But Sera had an iron grip. Ren pulled harder while glaring at the Grimm. Without wasting a breath, Sera reared back and _slapped_ him across the face.

Ren looked shocked, but it seemed to do the trick. "Look, I don't know what your problem is, Renny, but your friends are fighting for their lives over there. And you're not doing any good by rushing in like that. You're gonna get yourself killed, and for what? Some stupid looking Grimm? Pull yourself _together."_ She told him. Ren blinked twice, then looked ashamed.

"I… You're right. Doing stupid stuff like that isn't going to help anyone. Thanks."

Sera's scowl lessened, "Hey, what're friends for? Now let's go kill this thing before Nora rips it in two."

"…Wouldn't that be a good thing?" Ren asked, genuinely confused.

Sera grinned, "Yeah, but that makes less fun for us, now doesn't it?"

The ninja smiled and readied his twin pistols. "Very well."

"This party's just getting started, Ren," Sera smiled and spun her revolver on her finger. Then together, the two ran towards the Nuckelavee.

"Uh, this thing isn't going down!" Ruby shouted as she fired a sniper round into it. The Grimm roared and swept its arms at her, which she easily avoided. Then out of nowhere, Ren's bullets flew into its body and made it recoil. The Nuckelavee screeched, but Sera quickly landed on the horse's back and fan-fired her entire cylinder into it. Six Dust rounds paved a trail up its body, starting at its abdomen and ending at its forehead.

"Jackpot!" Sera gloated and jumped off its back before an arm could hit her. The long Grimm arm hit empty air and began to wrap around its owner's humanoid body, momentarily pinning one of its limbs.

"I told you to stay back!" Nora shouted. Sera smirked and reloaded her firearm as she flew through the air, "Yeah, well, that got boring!" Then she landed beside Ruby, holstered her gun, and drew her sword.

"Uh, maybe Nora's right—" Ruby said. Sera turned to her and silenced the younger girl by shooting her a look. "And maybe Nora's brains are pancakes! Now stand back and watch me work, Rubes!"

"Hey!" Nora cried indignantly. It reminded the amnesiac of Weiss. Sera grinned and charged the Grimm. Just before she leaped towards it, she popped a red Dust crystal into her weapon. The blade was immediately engulfed in green flame, and she sliced it across the Grimm's horse body.

"I've got a plan," Jaune told his friends while Sera kept the Grimm busy.

"Anything," Ruby pleaded. Jaune gave a smirk, "Ruby and Pyrrha, you take its arms. Nora, the horse. Ren, you handle the rest. I'll help where I can." Everyone nodded, then ran off to carry out their duties.

Sera was holding one of the Nuckelavee's horns with one hand and punching it in the face with the other when she saw her friends running around, actually organized this time. She grinned and let go of the Grimm, picked up her sword that she impaled in the horse's back, still flaming, then leaped off of it.

"What's the plan? What're we doing?" She asked.

"Take its knees!" Nora shouted back, and Sera grinned the widest she had all month. She rushed its horse legs, slicing her flaming sword through at the joint and cleaving the limb in two. Immediately, the large body buckled, and the Grimm roared in pain.

' _Just like the Hydra,'_ She thought to herself. Just as she severed its remaining front leg, Nora's hammer slammed into the beast's large head. The horse stayed still after that. However, the humanoid head screeched excruciatingly loudly as its body was forced forward from the front of its horse body being flattened to the ground.

It immediately swept its arms in circular motions, and everyone had to either duck or jump over them. Pyrrha was fast, however. She stabbed her javelin through its right arm and impaled it to the ground. The Grimm roared again.

Jaune caught the other arm between his shield and sword, then Ruby impaled it with her scythe. Another roar.

Ren walked right up to the Grimm and allowed it to roar in his face, never flinching. He then pulled an old dagger from his clothes and closed his eyes.

 _For my father,_ He sliced its right arm off. It screeched loudly.

 _For my mother,_ He took its other arm. Its body flailed as it roared.

 _For all the people you've slain,_ He stabbed it in the chest. Another screech.

Then he opened his eyes and grabbed one of its horns. "For myself." He said, then sliced across its neck. The Grimm was silent after that. Its body slowly dissipated into darkness as Ren's friends joined him at his side.

Jaune put a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. Sera rested Crimson Eclipse on her shoulder and smirked. _'Not bad, Renny.'_

Nora smiled and tackled Ren in a giant hug. Pyrrha took Jaune's hand and smiled. Ruby was smiling too, but her eyes suddenly widened. "Uncle Qrow!"

Sera's smile faltered, then she immediately ran with Ruby to go check on the old huntsman. They soon found him sitting against a ruined building, clutching his wound.

"Hey," He said weakly. "The fighting's died down. Guessing you won?" Ruby smiled and helped her uncle up, with Sera's assistance.

"Yeah, we won. No thanks to you," Sera smirked. Qrow looked to her, "You probably didn't do much either, Snowball. What with you falling out like that yesterday."

Sera smiled proudly, " _Actually_ I did a lot, old man." Qrow raised an eyebrow as the huntresses helped him back to the others. "Oh yeah? Like what?"

"I took its knees," Sera said nonchalantly. Qrow blinked, "You what?"

"Guys, look!" Jaune pointed to the sky. They looked up to see two Mistralian airships flying in for a landing.

"Help's here!" Nora laughed and jumped on Ren again. Sera smiled, "Looks like we got our ticket to Mistral."

"Finally," Ruby exhaled.

In no time at all, the seven of them were loaded onto the two airships and being flown to Mistral. Which, as it turns out, they were within spitting distance of. Ruby asked how they found them, and one of the pilots said that they were just on patrol when they saw smoke. Lucky them.

Sera's eyes lit up when she saw the distant lights and building of Mistral. Their journey was finally over. Then she thought back to Yang and looked down at the golden bracelet on her wrist. It's been well over a month since they'd last seen each other, perhaps longer. Sera wasn't exactly keeping track of the time.

With a grin, she looked back to the city before them. She had a feeling that she would see Yang soon.


	9. Ready To Die

After the odd-looking Mistralian airship landed, Qrow was immediately rushed off by some paramedics. Luckily, they'd gotten there in time, and the huntsman made a full recovery. In the time that it took for Qrow to get back to his old, drunk self, they were informed that there was a small house waiting for the seven of them. Courtesy of the headmaster of Haven, Leonardo Lionheart.

The former students were ecstatic that they no longer had to sleep in the wilderness, and they rushed off to inspect the gifted house. They all spent several days recovering from their long journey while Qrow regained his strength. Sera loved to go on long walks through Mistral's shopping district and take in the sights of the lush green mountains. Ruby usually accompanied her.

Team JNPR spent most of their time together, as expected. But during the time that they had, Ren and Nora took the opportunity to explain just what the big deal was with the Nuckelavee and the village of Kuroyuri.

Finally, Qrow had gotten back to feeling like his old self. And on the next day, it was decided that the seven of them would go to meet Lionheart.

They trudged through the dimly lit alleys of Mistral until arriving at the top of the mountain. A large campus with wooden buildings resided on top.

"Finally!" Ruby cheered and quickened her pace. JNPR excitedly followed her, apparently in a hurry to get inside.

Sera's eyes darted back and forth, scanning their surroundings. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something felt…off.

"It's empty," Qrow muttered.

"Didn't you say he was gonna meet us out front?" Sera asked warily. Qrow nodded, "Yeah. Keep your guard up."

She didn't need to be told twice. She rested her hand on the grip of the revolver Yang gave to her. She hated that after nearly two months, she still hasn't come up with a name for it.

The seven of them continued inside, walking through the wooden corridors and trying to reach the center of the structure. At the end of the hallway, a large set of dark oak double doors stood. They approached it and Qrow tensed.

"Get ready," He said as he drew Harbinger. Ruby and the others pulled out their own weapons stood ready to attack.

Qrow took a step back and kicked the door swiftly, causing both doors to fly open loudly. And standing on the other side was man with graying hair and a lion tail protruding from his backside. He yelped in surprise and fell back.

Ruby and JNPR exclaimed and Sera stood with her sword raised, as if she were about to swing. Qrow blinked with his foot still raised, then lost his balance and fell on his rear.

"Qrow!" The man said incredulously. "You were supposed to meet me out front."

"Leo, what're you doing?!" Qrow exclaimed as he and the man got to their feet. The man, Leo, looked puzzled. He pulled a small pocket watch out of his vest and examined it, "Oh, my! Terribly sorry, old friend. Time seems to have slipped away from me."

They could hear Sera snicker, apparently amused by his choice of words.

"You're joking," Qrow said. "Where is everyone?"

"Oh, yes. I've given the faculty time off since class is not exactly in session—"

"What?!" Qrow exclaimed. "Who's guarding the relic?" Leonardo glanced at the students with a troubled expression, "Qrow, the children—"

"Already know. I filled them in."

"You… filled them in?" Leonardo asked.

"Well this is going swimmingly," Sera commented and shouldered Crimson Eclipse.

. . .

"You… You're the one who fought the new Maiden?" Leonardo Lionheart asked as he turned his head to Sera. She nodded grimly in response. They'd just told him, well, pretty much everything. Except about Sera being the child of Salem.

"Outstanding… And you're still here to tell the tale." He sat at his desk. Sera shrugged, "I almost wasn't." Then she pulled her shirt up to reveal the scar that now resided on her abdomen.

"But that's not all the news," Qrow said as he spun a chair to sit in it backwards, with his arms resting on the back of it. "I think I found her."

Leo's eyes widened, "After all this time?" Then Qrow nodded gravely.

"Whoa, back up. Found who?" Jaune asked. Qrow and Leo regarded the swordsman.

"I thought you filled them in," Leo stated. Qrow sighed, "Mostly filled in." Then he turned to look at the six students. "The Spring Maiden. I know where she is. Well, sort of. I know who she's with."

"Who?" Ruby asked. The huntsman's expression softened when he looked at his niece, "Raven."

Sera's eyes widened at that. "Seriously?" But JNPR just looked confused. "Wait, who's Raven?" Nora asked.

"His sister. Raven Branwen." Leonardo replied.

"Yang's mom," Sera added helpfully.

"Oh." Was all Pyrrha said.

"Yeah. That about sums it up," Qrow sighed. Leonardo cleared his throat, "Qrow, there's something urgent I'd like to discuss with you." The scythe wielder nodded, "Guys, head back to the house. I'll be there later."

They didn't want to, but Sera, Ruby, and team JNPR stood and exited the room. Clearly, this was important.

"What was that about?" Ruby asked after they got outside. They descended the short stairwell and headed across the campus.

"Beats me. Probably Salem," Sera shrugged. Ren put a hand to his chin, "Maybe. But if that were the case, he likely would've had you stay. Then again, he didn't tell him about your, uh, situation there."

Sera nodded. She got the feeling that Qrow didn't fully trust the headmaster. "Whatever, let's just get back like he said."

"I'll prepare a meal. Seems like we could all use it," Ren said with a light smile.

"Ren, you are awesome," Sera told him. The ninja looked pleased at that.

"Pancakes!" Nora cheered.

. . .

True to his word, Lie Ren cooked several towers of pancakes that nearly reached the ceiling. That was Nora taken care of. Now he would make some for the rest of his friends.

After several hours of sitting around and waiting, Sera decided she'd head into the market again. Maybe she'd see something she liked. Putting on her red coat, she grabbed her sword and exited the house, heading further into Mistral.

It took no time at all to reach the market. Sera had gotten pretty well acquainted with the layout of Mistral, despite its confusing architecture.

The amnesiac smiled as she approached her favorite vendor, a large tent set up with tables full of weapons and clothing.

"Whatcha got for me today, Lavender?" She asked as she stepped under the tent. A young woman with deep purple-colored hair and lavender eyes smiled kindly, "Nothing much. New shipment outerwear, if you're interested."

Sera grinned and went to the table that Lavender gestured to. "You know I am." As she inspected the new additions, the woman approached Sera. She wore a beach towel around her waist and a violet tank top that matched the flower in her hair. Lavender looked like she belonged on tropical island, with her beach clothes, tan skin, and hair that swept over her shoulders and smelled like, you guessed it, lavender.

The white-haired huntress held up a brown jacket with yellow trim. Her expression turned sad for a moment, because it reminded her of Yang. She glanced at the half of Ember Celica on her wrist, the gold metal glinting in the sunlight.

Lavender looked to where Sera's eyes were transfixed, "Beautiful bracelet. What is it, exactly?"

"A gift. From a friend," Sera responded and set the jacket back down. The merchant could sense the sadness coming from her newest friend/customer.

"Something happen to them?" She asked. Sera shook her head, "Not at all. Well, yeah. But she's doing all right, I hope. Still mad about being 'disarmed'." The amnesiac smiled to herself at the pun Yang loved to make. But Lavender just looked at her quizzically, not understanding at all.

"So," Sera broke the silence. "Is it in yet?"

Lavender's eyes lit up, "I'm glad you asked." Then she went behind a table and picked up a cardboard box with a rose design on the top. "Came in this morning."

Sera grinned. She'd put in an order for a gift for her teammates, once they reunited. She wanted to go ahead and Ruby hers, but ultimately decided she should wait for Yang, Blake, and Weiss. The look on their faces would be worth it.

Lavender opened the flaps of the box and dug around in it. After a moment, she said, "Ah, here we are. This is yours, I'm assuming." Then she pulled out a silver necklace with an Omega pendant that glinted in the light. Sera smiled and took the necklace and closed the box.

"Thanks, Lavender."

"No problem. Just keep coming by and buying my stuff," She smiled kindly. With an affirmative nod, Sera took the box and began to make her way back to the house.

After she left the tent and began to climb the stone staircase leading upward, a short figure watched her from afar. The person was a woman in an outfit entirely of black, with black hair to match and eyes greener than Pyrrha's. As soon as the amnesiac was out of sight, the short woman smirked, and her eyes morphed colors. One was brown, and the other was pink.

A while later, Sera returned to the house she and her friends were temporarily residing in. She entered the building and peeked around every corner to see if anyone was there. Luckily, she snuck to her room unseen. Hiding the box in her closet, Sera covered it with a blanket and went back to her bed.

With a sigh, she sat on the edge of the mattress and looked at her scroll. Her screen saver stared back at her: a picture of her and her team in a tree of all things. She smiled at the image. She saw herself, standing triumphantly with her hands on her hips on a thick branch. Then there was Ruby, hanging upside down from another branch. Weiss was standing at the base with her arms crossed and an annoyed look on her face at Yang, who was sticking her tongue out at the heiress while hanging from a branch beside Ruby with one arm. Blake was on all fours on a branch just below Sera, poised like a cat.

Her eyes flicked upward back to herself in the picture. All confident with a smirk on her face. She was wearing her old red tank top, so her Omega and purple flower tattoos were visible. After a quick glance to the digital clock, she winced at just how late it was now. She knew she shouldn't have stopped at that soda machine for her favorite grape-flavored concoction.

Sera sighed and set the scroll down on her nightstand and removed her coat. The red leather was soft to the touch, and she folded it up and set it a chair near the bed. After switching the light off, she laid back and rested her arms behind her head, staring up at the ceiling.

After kicking her boots off and crossing her ankles, she allowed her eyes to close…only for someone to knock on her door.

Her eyes shot open, "Come in." The door cracked open and Ruby poked her head in.

"Oh! Sorry." She jumped slightly. Sera sat up and gave a muted sigh, "No problem. What's up Rubes?"

The scythe wielder stepped in and closed the door behind her. "I just wanted to talk to you about our talk with Professor Lionheart today."

Sera blinked. "What about it?" Ruby gave a small sigh, "I dunno. But it was weird, right? Something just felt…off."

The amnesiac nodded, "I was thinking the same. Like, did you see the way he looked at us when he first saw us?"

Ruby shook her head and smiled shyly. "Guess I was too shocked by, well, you know." Sera sat up and patted the mattress next to her. Ruby sat down and looked at her friend with a slightly worried expression on her face.

"He looked at us like… like he knew who we were already. I don't like it. I know Qrow trusted him, but—"

"Trusted? Past tense?" Ruby asked. Sera nodded, "Yeah. He thinks something's up too. But we can't quite put our finger on it. That's why we didn't mention, well, certain aspects of me."

"Oh, right. Kinda forget about that sometimes."

Sera raised her eyebrow. "The whole 'daughter of an evil immortal witch' thing?" Then Ruby nodded, embarrassed. "It's just… I've known you for long enough to know that you're good. Like, there's nothing to worry about. So yeah, my first thought isn't 'omg this chick has evilness in her veins'."

Sera smiled at her childlike team leader. "I appreciate that, Rubes. More than you know."

The silver-eyed girl nodded, "And I appreciate, you know, what you said back there. At my mom's grave. And, well, doing what you did to help Yang."

"How do you feel about that, by the way? We haven't exactly talked about that, me and Yang."

Ruby was silent for a terrible moment, then she took a deep breath and smiled. "Well, while it was certainly surprising, I'm not against it. Yang seems happier around you, especially after…"

Ruby didn't need to finish her sentence. Sera already knew she meant _'after losing her arm'._

The amnesiac smiled and pulled Ruby into a hug. After a small yelp, Ruby smiled and hugged back.

"Thanks, Ruby. I don't exactly know how _that's_ going to end up, but… I do like Yang. She's great, when she's not being obnoxious."

After they separated, Ruby gave a grin, "Yeah, well, welcome to the thing that is _Yang."_

Sera smirked and picked up her scroll, focusing on the image of Yang sticking her tongue out. "She's a dork."

Ruby stood. "Definitely. But I'll, uh, get out of your hair. I can tell you're tired." And it was true. The amnesiac's eyes felt heavy and she was now having a harder time focusing on what Ruby was saying.

"No arguments here. Goodnight, Ruby." Sera yawned. Ruby smiled and opened the door, "Night, Sera. Now if you'll excuse me, Jaune said he picked up the latest copy of _Red vs. Blue."_

Sera only nodded and laid back, resting her head on the _extremely_ soft pillow. Ruby grinned again and closed the door, leaving Sera to her own devices.

. . .

Dreams for Sera suck. They never feel like dreams, just really bad visions that felt _extremely_ real. This one was no different. She saw the same man from before, hanging from his arms in the stone room. His head was hung low and his black hair covered his eyes, but Sera knew what they looked like: an extremely familiar shade of violet.

A heavy door opened, and footsteps could be heard approaching. The man didn't move.

Sera turned her head, and gasped. Standing before her was a very tall and pale woman with white hair in an ornate design. But the thing that got her was the piercing red eyes that seemed to be looking _right_ at her.

Salem looked at the man with disgust, as if she couldn't stand the sight of him.

"Where is she?"

"I told you," The man said in a deep and gruff voice. "I don't know."

"That's what you said before, then Cinder overheard you muttering to yourself about a fight against a Nuckelavee."

Sera caught her breath. She deduced that they were talking about her. She was beginning to form her own uncomfortable conclusions about the chained man before her.

He was well built, with rippling muscles and a large frame. If he were standing up straight, she knew he'd be giant.

The man looked up, pure hatred in his eyes at the pale immortal. He scowled, but his expression softened when he noticed something else. His violet eyes settled _right_ where Sera stood, and she knew that he saw her.

He looked sad, as if his eyes were full of regret. Then as quickly as he saw her, he turned his attention back to Salem. "And I'll tell you again: I _don't know_ where she is. How could I?"

Salem smirked at that, "We both know you have your ways. But if you refuse to talk…" She raised a hand, and fear flashed across the man's face. Black and purple energy that resembled electricity arced to his body. The man groaned and winced, but he did not cry out.

Sera didn't know why his aura wasn't activating. Maybe he was too weak. Nonetheless, Salem smiled coldly as her power lit up the man's body. Sera wanted to cry out, to tell her to stop, but it wouldn't do any good. She was in some sort of sci-fi astral projection form.

The man's groan of pain was the last thing she heard before sitting bolt upright in bed. She panted heavily and stared ahead at the wall. After recollecting herself, she picked up her scroll and turned on the screen. Five in the morning.

She groaned and laid back again. After deciding to just stay up, she stared at the ceiling with a million questions floating through her mind. Who was that man? Why was he chained up? Her mother… What is her connection to him? Why…why does he have the same color eyes as Sera?

Sera sighed and looked at her scroll again—at the picture of her team. She'd have to tell Qrow about this later. Until then, she keyed up her music playlist to tune out her thoughts. After a moment, a slow-paced song played through the speakers.

 _Great,_ she thought. _I hit 'shuffle' and the first thing that comes on is The Sound of Silence._

With another groan, she turned over and rested her head on her arm. _Well, maybe I can afford just a_ few _more hours of sleep…_

. . .

The sounds of fighting roused her from sleep. She sat up immediately and looked around. She could hear the sound of two people trading blows and grunting. Sera jumped out of bed, grabbed Crimson Eclipse, then ran towards the noise coming from outside.

She burst out the back door with her sword raised to find Ruby fist fighting a short boy with dark hair and olive skin. Before she could register why Ruby didn't have Crescent Rose or the way they were fighting, the amnesiac rushed forward to attack the boy.

She let out a shout as she swung her weapon, and the boy yelped and ducked.

"Sera! What are you doing?!" Ruby exclaimed. Sera blinked and looked back at her, "Saving your life?"

Then team JNPR joined them with startled expressions. Slowly, Sera pieced together what was happening. They were sparring, hand-to-hand.

The purple-eyed huntress looked down at the boy, who had an extremely worried look on his face. Freckles splashed across his face and his eyes were a mix of green and brown. He wore ragged clothes, like a farm hand would wear.

"Sorry," Sera said, then helped the boy up. "And you are…?"

Then something weird happened. The boy's eyes flashed green, and his expression morphed to one of sadness and shame.

"Hello, Miss Purpura."

Sera blinked and dropped her sword, which impaled in the ground. "Ozpin?" She said shakily. She recognized that voice from anywhere. Plus, the only other people that knew her last name were Ruby, Qrow, Tai, and Yang.

"It's been some time," He replied. Sera stumbled slightly, "How did-? Who are-? When-? What's going on?"

Ozpin's expression turned slightly playful. "Come, I believe this is something that's best explained inside."

. . .

"So, basically, you're possessing this kid." Sera shifted uncomfortably on a couch. When she charged out, she forgot that she was still wearing her clothes from yesterday, so now she was dressed in a pair of black pants, her boots, and a white T-shirt.

"Well, yes and no." Ozpin, who was now also introduced as Oscar said.

"But you are," Sera insisted.

"Pretty much, yeah," Jaune answered. After another moment, Sera asked, "Where's Qrow?"

"Qrow is… out looking for huntsmen. He may not return for some time," Ozpin said. Sera rolled her violet eyes, "Great."

"I am sorry about what you went through at Beacon. It was not my intention for any of this to happen." Ozpin said sadly. Sera sighed, "I believe you. None of the blame's on you. It's Cinder's fault… and Salem's."

Ozpin nodded, "I thank you for that. And I see that Qrow went ahead and informed you all of Salem. And her connection to Sera here."

Everyone nodded. Then Sera spoke up, "About that…" She went on to retell the events of her dream to her old headmaster and friends.

Ozpin brought a hand to his chin, "Hmph. Very strange, indeed. I have no idea what to make of that. It certainly doesn't seem good." But Sera could tell something was off. He wasn't telling her everything. He seemed to do that a lot.

"Yeah… Well. What were you doing with Ruby outside?" Sera tried to change the subject. Ozpin gave a small smile, "Miss Rose is in need of hand-to-hand combat training."

"Because she can't fight unless she has Crescent Rose?"

"Precisely."

"Hey!" Ruby huffed indignantly.

Sera managed a smile and turned back to Ozpin. "So… You're back, then. What do we do now, professor?"

"For now, we wait. As I said before, Qrow is out searching for ally huntsman. Once he returns, we will 'compare notes,' if you will, with them. Hopefully we can reach a conclusion for a game plan." Ozpin clasped his cane in his hands.

"Lionheart's acting funny," Sera blurted. "Sorry. But when we all had our talk with him, he seemed…off. Distracted. Worried. Scared even."

Ozpin nodded, "Qrow informed me before he left. It does seem strange. Perhaps he was nervous to be in the presence of some survivors of Beacon." Then the professor did something odd. He winked at Sera with knowing expression. She understood immediately: don't let the others know yet. She narrowed her eyebrows at the headmaster, then he shot her a pleading look. Sera rolled her eyes and sat back, but she silently agreed.

"Maybe so," Sera said. "Maybe Ruby made him nervous with her hyperactivity."

"Hey!" Ruby cried, but the huntsmen and huntresses couldn't help but crack a smile. Pyrrha was paying attention to every little detail in the conversation. Even the looks that Ozpin and Sera gave each other. But she stayed silent.

"Now," Ozpin stood. "I do believe it's time for breakfast. Nora mentioned that Ren had excellent cooking skills." He said with a sly smirk, then his eyes flashed green again. Ozpin stumbled and caught his breath.

Sera blinked, "Ozpin?"

"Oscar," Jaune corrected. Sera's eyes widened slightly, "Right, right. Possession."

Oscar chuckled nervously and edged away from the group. Ren sighed and tied his 'Please do nothing to the cook' apron around his waist. "Better get started," He mumbled, then trudged off to the kitchen.

Sera smirked and stood. She was going to freshen up for the day, since she didn't get the chance earlier. After the amnesiac left, everyone sat in anticipation for Ren to fix up some of his famous pancakes. The prospect of tasting the golden-brown discs was enough to shake Pyrrha away from her thoughts of what Sera and Ozpin had said.

Minutes later, Sera stepped out of the bathroom with wet hair and in her old outfit: stylish white jacket and pants, purple tube top, and black boots. A purple belt with her Omega buckle rested around her waist, along with her gun belt and her half of Ember Celica.

After returning to her friends, Ruby grinned, "Now that brings back memories."

Sera shrugged, "Kinda missed it."

"Those colors suit you better anyway," Nora said with a mouth full of pancakes. "Cause of your hair and stuff."

"Got it," Sera nodded and went to take a seat between Oscar and Pyrrha. The Spartan was giving her sideways glances, but she ignored it. She was too transfixed on the stack of cakes in front of her.

. . .

Yang had rescued Weiss from Raven Branwen by now. They were in her camp right this moment, discussing, well, what they discussed. Qrow, Salem, Ozpin.

Blake was planning to stop the White Fang's invasion with Sun and her parents. They would depart soon and be in Mistral by tomorrow evening. The time of Adam's invasion.

Meanwhile, Sera was strolling through Mistral again. After a big breakfast, she thought it best to walk it all off. She promised to be back by noon, and left with nothing but what she'd changed into, including the black and silver revolver on her hip. She also needed to hurry and think of a name for the thing. Calling it 'my gun' was getting tiresome. And so, she was kicking a rock down an alley, trying to come up with a cool name for her weapon.

"Stormbreaker? No. Blue Rose? Nah, nothing about me is blue. Red Queen? Nah, too Alice In Wonderland-y. Ebony? Well, it is black, but… no." Then her thoughts turned to her sword, Crimson Eclipse. A lightbulb went off in her head, and she drew the revolver to inspect it. Its black metal and silver engravings shone in the dim light. Sera grinned, "Silver Linings."

Satisfied with her idea, she holstered the newly named weapon. Then Sera halted. Her eyes glanced to either side of her rapidly, not daring to turn her head yet. "Who's there?" She called.

Footsteps were heard from behind her. The amnesiac spun and drew Silver Linings, aiming it down the narrow alley. And what she saw was rather startling. Not because she saw a threat, but seemingly the complete opposite.

An extremely short girl with pink and brown hair approached her. She wore white, pink, and brown clothes, and a pink parasol was rested on her shoulder. But her eyes are really what unsettled Sera. One was pink and the other was brown.

"Oh, it's just a girl. Sorry about that," Sera sighed and holstered her weapon. The girl smiled and kept walking.

"What're you doing in a place like this?" Sera asked. No answer. The short girl was now directly in front of her, sizing her up. She circled around Sera with an amused smile.

The amnesiac just looked at the girl with a bewildered expression. Who was this chick, and why was she so weird?

"Uh…" Sera trailed off as the ice cream-colored girl stood in front of her again. "Don't you talk?"

The girl shook her head innocently. But there was something in her eyes…something sinister. Sera slowly reached for Silver Linings while trying to maintain her calm appearance.

"So who're you?" Sera asked. The girl's pink and brown eyes lit up, and she turned and pointed her parasol to the ground. After closing it, she pressed its tip against the dirty concrete and began to trace in the mud and grime. Sera raised and eyebrow at what she was doing, but soon enough, a word was comprehensible on the ground: Neo.

"Your name's Neo?" Sera asked, her guard lowering slightly. Neo nodded her head enthusiastically.

"All right, well, Neo, are you lost or something?"

Neo shrugged dejectedly.

"Are you mute?" Sera raised her eyebrows.

Neo nodded sadly.

"Ah, well that's sad. What's a girl like you doing around here?" Sera asked. Neo put a hand to her chin, as if thinking. Then she snapped her fingers as if she had an idea. She held her palm and fingers flat and put it to her forehead as if she were saluting, then began to scan the horizon.

"You're looking for someone?" Sera guessed. Neo nodded her head rapidly. "Who're you looking for?" the amnesiac asked. The much shorter girl then brought out her scroll, and Sera's heart stopped. Neo was showing her a picture of Cinder Fall.

Sera immediately drew her weapon and raised it. Neo's expression became distressed and she ducked for cover.

"How do you know her?" she demanded, a wild light in her eyes. Neo cautiously stood and pointed her index finger, then slid it across her neck in the widely known 'kill' sign.

"You…want to kill her?" Sera asked, never lowering Silver Linings. Neo nodded her head rapidly again and raised her hands.

"Why?"

Then Neo's expression saddened. She pulled out a black and red bowler hat and held it close to her chest.

"She…got someone you know killed?" Sera asked gently. Neo nodded. The amnesiac moistened her lips, "Was it during the Fall of Beacon?"

She nodded again.

Sera sighed and reluctantly holstered her weapon. "Just who are you?"

. . .

Ruby Rose grinned as she yelled in triumph. "I call the Mistralian forces to seize the remainder of your land!"

Nora groaned in outrage and slammed her forehead onto the table. They were playing 'Remnant', the same board game that team RWBY played in the library during the beginning of their second semester.

"I'm back~! And I brought someone!" a familiar voice called out. Ruby's eyes lit up, "Sera! You're just in time to witness my great vicor-AHH!" Then the scythe wielder zipped by in a flurry of rose petals, grabbed Crescent Rose, and prepared to swing the thing in Sera's direction.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH _HER?!"_ Ruby demanded. Everyone else present only blinked at the younger girl's odd behavior. Standing beside Sera was none other than Neo.  
"What are you talking about? I just found this girl in town, and apparently she wants to take down Cinder just as much as us."

Neo only stood in silence and stared at Ruby, the girl that she and Roman fought in the sky. In a way, she felt that this silver-eyed girl was just as guilty as Cinder, but…these people could lead her right to the Fall Maiden.

The mute girl had a plan in play. She held Cinder mostly responsible for Roman, because if not for her _awful_ planning, he wouldn't have been up on that Atlesian airship in the first place. Her best bet for now was to _use_ these people for her own gain.

"She's _with_ Cinder! She fought me in Beacon! She fought Yang back under Mountain Glenn! She's _evil!"_ Ruby cried. Sera only turned to look down at the ice cream girl, who smiled innocently and put on a fierce pair of puppy dog eyes.

"You can't be serious. Look at her." Sera chuckled. Ruby didn't lower her weapon. Team JNPR was being quiet, surprisingly. Oscar was silently, and nervously, observing.

"Sera. Please. She's _with_ Cinder," Ruby pleaded. Sera sighed, "No, she's not. Look," the amnesiac then pulled out her scroll, which had a wall of text on the screen. "I had her type it out, since she can't talk. She was _with_ Roman Torchwick, but now that he's dead, she holds Cinder responsible. She thought we could help lead her to Cinder, that's why she approached me."

"And you believe that?" Ruby demanded. Sera took a deep breath. She knew it was a bad idea. "I believe that we need all the help we can get, Rubes. Sure, this girl was on the other side. And no, I don't fully trust her—"

Neo's head turned to look up at Sera with a hurt expression.

"—but she could be a valuable asset for taking down Cinder. Look, I don't know if you noticed, but this woman is a _Maiden_ , and it's not gonna be easy to fight her. We need help."

Tears formed in Ruby's eyes, and Sera was sorry for that, but her mind wouldn't be changed. Ruby hung her head low and dropped her scythe. "Fine. Don't believe me. But when, not if, _when_ she betrays us, just know that it's on you."

Then Ruby stomped off to her room and slammed the door. Sera sighed and leaned against the wall.

"I'll go check on her," Nora volunteered, then left to do just that. The rest of JNPR went in different directions to do their own activities. Ren was cleaning the kitchen while Pyrrha and Jaune went out to practice swordplay.

"C'mon, Neo. Ruby'll come around eventually. You just gotta prove you're with us." Sera said and went to sit on the couch. Neo nodded earnestly and followed her. After they sat down, Oscar—no, _Ozpin_ spoke up. "Do you believe this is a wise decision? Perhaps Ruby is right—this girl isn't to be trusted."

"I stand by what I said. We need help." Sera affirmed. Ozpin took a deep breath, "I just hope you know what you're doing. I've heard of this woman, you know. And what I've heard is…not pleasant."

Neo just blinked and switched from looking between the two as they talked.

"What can I say? Maybe we could use a little 'unpleasant' right about now," Sera smirked. "Fight fire with fire."

"Perhaps you're right. But like Miss Rose said: if this woman betrays us, it's your head. I hope you know that."

Sera gulped, "I do. But…there's something about Neo that seems like she'd be good in the fight against them."

Ozpin only nodded gravely. "If you think so, I'll take your word for it. Like you said, we need all the help we can get now." The amnesiac nodded and stood, "Thanks, professor. It's good to have you back by the way." She smiled before turning to head to her room.

The headmaster suppressed a smile, then his eyes flashed green, and Oscar was back.

Neo followed Sera, since she was the only one who seemed to want her there. The ice cream girl found Sera sitting on her bed with her legs crossed, looking down at the brightly lit scroll in her lap.

"Oh, hey Neo. Not feeling as welcomed as you thought?" Sera looked up. Neo shrugged. "Yeah. Ruby's pretty pissed. But she'll get over it. You just gotta do something to prove yourself, y'know?"

Neo shrugged again.

"…You don't talk much, do you?"

The shorter girl glared at Sera, who smiled in response.

The next hour or so passed rather quickly. Sera decided to give Neo the rundown of her team and JNPR. Neo listened in silence and nodded occasionally to signify that she was still paying attention. But during most key points during their "conversation", Neo's eyes lit up with what Sera assumed was admiration. The amnesiac had just finished her story on the Hydra that she and Qrow slayed when someone knocked on the door, and Ren poked his head in, "Word from Qrow. He'll be back tonight."

"Thanks Ren. Ruby still mad?" Sera asked, genuinely worried. Ren cast his eyes down, "Well, it's not good."

Sera took a deep breath, "I thought not. Be out in a minute?" Then Ren nodded, and closed the door, leaving them alone again.

Neo picked up her scroll and began to type madly at the keyboard, then she turned the device around for Sera to see.

 _Your fight against Cinder?_

Sera raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Figured you'd wanna know about that. All right, so it all started when she thought she could take me on…" Then she went on to retell the events of her fight against the Fall Maiden, choosing to leave out the details of her 'transformation,' as per usual.

By the time she was finished, Neo looked a little shocked. She began to type again. _You must be quite the fighter to last so long against her._

"Well, I don't mean to brag, but a bit," Sera smirked. Then Neo's expression turned shameful.

 _Saw you in Beacon, at the colosseum._

"What? Nah, no way. I would've recognized you-uhhh?" As she spoke, Neo closed her eyes momentarily, and when she opened them, they were green. Her hair also changed to black.

"HOW'D YOU DO THAT?" Sera jumped to her feet on the bed. Neo smiled awkwardly. _Just can. I can change my eye and hair color to what I want._ As if to prove her point, Neo's hair turned to the color of snow and her eyes changed to violet.

Sera gasped and returned to a sitting position, "That's totally cool! I wish I could do something like that."

Neo smiled awkwardly again and rubbed the back of her neck. Then a pleasant aroma filled their nostrils: food cooking. Sera looked past Neo at the door, "What say we investigate?"

The ice cream girl smiled in response and got to her feet.

Sera and Neo exited the bedroom and entered the living room and kitchen. Ruby and Nora were slicing carrots and dumping them into a large pot filled with broth and other vegetables.

Movement caught Ruby's eye, and she turned to find the two looking at her with awkward expressions. Ruby scowled and went back to her carrots, "Great, she's looking like Sera now."

Neo frowned and made her hair and eyes return to normal. Sera patted the short girl's back, then approached her teammate.

"Hey Ruby."

"Hey. Enjoy yourself with the enemy?" She said distastefully. Sera frowned, "You don't have to be like that, you know. She's not exactly trying to actively kill us."

"Just waiting for the right moment, likely." Ruby scowled at the cutting board under her hands.  
"You sound like Weiss," Sera blurted. The scythe wielder actually smiled at that.

"How many people do you think Qrow's bringing?" Nora asked as she popped a sliced carrot into her mouth.

"I don't know. But _hopefully_ a certain pair of our friends aren't at each other's throats all night." Ren announced.

 _ **DA-DING**_

The doorbell echoed through the small house. "I'll get it!" Ruby said, momentarily forgetting about Neo and Sera. Ruby picked up a platter with cups of tea and walked into the living room. 

Then the sound of glass shattering was heard. Nora, Ren, Sera, and Neo glanced at each other. Sera drew Silver Linings and stepped went after Ruby with her eyes narrowed. Then her expression immediately softened at what she saw: Qrow, with Weiss Schnee and Yang Xiao Long.

Ruby was standing with her mouth gaping and her arms hung at her sides. Yang smirked at Sera and rested her yellow hand on her hip. Wait- yellow hand? Sure enough, right where her arm _used_ to be was a yellow prosthetic. Sera did a double take but was immediately met by the blond wrapping her in a hug. Sera smiled and hugged back. Yang's hair smelled like lemon soap and lavender.

"See you're still in one piece," Yang told her and pulled away. Sera gave her a lopsided grin, "C'mon, this is me we're talking about."

"Yang! Weiss! Wh-what're you doing here?" Ruby asked, finally getting over her initial shock. Weiss smiled, "Long, _long_ story."

Then Ruby lunged forward and tackled the former heiress to the floor, cackling maniacally while her legs kicked in the air. Normally, Weiss would've shoved her off and exploded, but she missed her teammates. Even Ruby.

"Yeah- great to see you too, Ruby. Can you let me up now?" Weiss said playfully. Yang smiled, then someone besides team JNPR stepped into view. Yang's eyes narrowed to inspect the newcomer, and needless to say, what came next was not pretty.

Yang's eyes flashed red and she lunged Neo without warning. Sera could only turn to see the blonde's fist sail at the short girl. Neo only smirked and easily dodged the attack.

"Yang, wait!" Sera exclaimed, but it was too late. She was in full Super Saiyan mode now. The blond threw punch after punch at the much shorter girl, and Neo evaded them easily with some extra-sassy hip movements.

"Yang!" Sera grabbed her arm, and the brawler turned to glare at her, Yang's eyes blazing. The amnesiac glared at her sternly and held her fist back. After a moment, Yang's eyes slowly returned to lilac and her hair died down.

" _What,"_ Yang pointed at Neo. "Is _she_ doing here?"

"I'm still wondering that," Ruby mumbled and crossed her arms.

"She's a friend. She wants to take down Cinder." Sera replied calmly. Yang yanked her arm out of Sera's grip.

"She tried to kill me!"

"I know. Ruby made that _very_ clear."

"And you four?" Yang turned to JNPR, who had been silently watching. "You're okay with this?"

"We're… reluctant about it," Jaune admitted.

"But Sera's right. We need help if there's a fight," Pyrrha added. The amnesiac nodded gratefully. Yang groaned angrily and punched the wall beside Neo.

"Why? We have enough people for two whole teams, plus Qrow and… this kid," Weiss gestured to Oscar.

"Trust me," Sera turned to Weiss. "She can fend us off, especially if she has help. Which she most likely will, because she's smart. The pride of having Maiden powers isn't going to get in the way of her tact."

Yang sighed. If anyone would know, it's Sera. She's the only one here who's fought Cinder. Well, besides Ozpin. But Yang and Weiss didn't know about Oz yet. _Yet._

"Yes, well, I fear Sera's correct. Cinder _will_ come with allies, and any help will be greatly appreciated." 'Oscar' said. Yang and Weiss turned to look at the much younger boy with quizzical expressions.

"And just who are you?" Weiss asked in her heiress voice.

"Oh, boy. Here we go," Qrow sighed.

Fifteen minutes later, everyone was seated in the living room to hear Ozpin's explanation, save for the headmaster, Qrow, and Sera. And Neo, but she was really just standing off to the side, out of view. Ozpin had told them everything. The Maidens, Salem, and the imminent threat.

"You're kidding," Weiss said at last.

"Afraid not, Ice Queen," Sera crossed her arms. Yang remained silent.

"So basically, we have a war on our hands," the Schnee continued. Qrow nodded.

"Is that basically what your mother told you, Miss Xiao Long?" Ozpin turned his gaze to Yang.

"Wait, what? Her mother?" Sera asked.

"Oh, yeah. Yang and Weiss had a run-in with Raven," Qrow replied.

"Glad people tell me stuff," Sera grumbled. No one volunteered to tell her that Yang and Weiss had _just_ gotten there.

"You forgot two things," Yang finally spoke up. Her lilac eyes turned to Sera, "You forgot to tell them about your mo-"

"Up bup bup! Later," Sera interrupted. Yang blinked. "…Right. Well the _second_ thing is that you forgot to tell us what you did to Qrow and Raven," the brawler returned her eyes to Ozpin.

"What?" Ruby asked. It was the first time she'd spoken since Ozpin's explanation.

Then Ozpin went on to tell them that he'd given Raven and Qrow the ability to turn into birds.

"…You what?" Sera asked, dumbfounded. Qrow chuckled nervously.

"Why would you do that? What kind of person—" Yang demanded.

"Yang, that's enough. We chose this," Qrow interrupted.

"It's still a little…odd," Pyrrha added.

"SO YOU'RE TELLING ME I WAS RIGHT TO CALL YOU 'BIRD BRAIN'?!" Sera exclaimed. Qrow only snickered.

"…Back to the matter at hand," Ozpin chuckled.

One rest of a boring conversation later…

After that ended, all the students proceeded to eat the dinner that Ren, Nora, and Ruby worked so hard to prepare. They all joked and swapped stories, but there was tension between Sera, Ruby, and Yang. Neo wasn't present for the dinner. She went to sit alone in the living room and wait. Afterwards, everyone dispersed to head to bed. That talk lasted well into the night, and if Qrow and Ozpin were right, they'd need their rest for tomorrow. Qrow received word from Lionheart that he'd be able to organize a party to retrieve the Spring Maiden, and that immediately tipped the huntsman and headmaster off. It seems that Lionheart has betrayed them after all, if their suspicions were correct.

Sera had just closed the door to her bedroom when someone caused it to fly open again. Yang marched in and glared at Sera, "What were you _thinking?"_ She demanded.

The amnesiac only stared at her until she realized what she'd meant. "Again, we need _help,_ Yang. I realize that you and Neo have a 'past', but Cinder isn't an easy opponent.

"Oh, enough about Cinder! I'm tired of hearing from you how 'strong and powerful' she is! You're just scared to face her again, so you're trying to get more and more people to fight her so you don't have to!"

Sera blinked. Then she got angry. " _Me?_ Scared? Are you kidding! I just want to end her already so she won't do what she did in Beacon again! What's up with you?"

Yang's eyes flashed red, then Sera realized something. Ruby had told her what happened with Yang and Neo on the train, and she saw it in action when Yang lashed out at the ice cream colored girl.

"You're scared of her. She beat you like it was nothing, and you're still mad about it. Of course, you are," Sera scoffed. "You're too prideful to let something like that go."

Yang clenched her fists tightly. Her anger seemed to die down, being replaced by what Sera recognized as shame. "You have no idea what it's like…" Her voice was low and her eyes returned to lilac.

"Yes, I do. You were partly right, you know. I _don't_ want to fight Cinder. But I will. To protect my friends. To protect _you_." Sera put a hand on her shoulder. Yang managed to smile lightly, putting a hand over Sera's.

"I missed you, dork," Sera smiled. Yang immediately embraced her and held the amnesiac tightly, crushing her chest. Sera made choking sound, but Yang didn't relent. "I missed you too, Snowball."

Then a knock came to the open door. They turned to see Neo standing there with an embarrassed expression on her face. Sera looked to Yang, as if for permission, and the brawler gave a reluctant nod.

"Come on in, Neo," Sera waved. Neo nodded and stepped in. "Now, you two make up."

Yang rolled her eyes and scoffed. After a moment, she sighed and met Neo's multicolored eyes. "When you prove that you're with us, maybe I'll start trusting you. I _don't_ forgive you for working with Torchwick—"

Neo stiffened at the mention of Roman.

"—but I'll allow you to fight with us." Then Neo nodded gratefully.

" _But,"_ Yang said, stepping close to Neo and allowing her eyes to turn red. "If you _ever_ hurt anyone I care about, I'll kill you."

Neo paled slightly, but she nodded. Yang gestured towards the door with her chin, and Neo fled the room.

"…That was kinda mean," Sera noted.

Yang shrugged, "I meant it. I'm not taking anymore chances." Sera nodded and ran a hand through her hair, "Yeah, but—"

She was interrupted when Yang dashed forward and gripped her shoulders while pressing forward. The kiss lasted at least ten seconds, at least, and when it was over, Sera was lightheaded.

"Uh…"

Yang grinned, "Come on, Snowball. We have a busy day tomorrow." Then she turned and went to the door, giving the amnesiac one last glance. "See you in the morning."

Sera nodded absently. "Uh-duh." With a final grin, Yang exited the bedroom.

. . .

Ruby, Weiss, and Yang sat on the ground outside, watching the sun rise over the horizon the next morning. They were supposed to be getting ready to head to Haven, possibly for a fight, but until then the three were content to watch the sky turn from orange to blue.

"Beautiful…" Weiss commented. Yang nodded and rested her prosthetic arm onto her knee. "You should see the sunrise in Patch."

Back inside the house, Sera was watching her teammates with a longing expression. She knew that Yang had reluctantly forgiven her for the whole Neo situation, but Ruby likely didn't, and she didn't know how Weiss felt.

Someone tapped on her shoulder, and the amnesiac turned to see the ice cream colored girl looking up at her.

"Speak of the devil," Sera huffed. Neo tilted her head slightly, as if curious.

"Never mind. What's up?" Sera turned to her. Neo brought up her scroll to reveal a pre-typed message. Sera read it aloud, "Supposed to be getting ready for a battle." Then the amnesiac scowled slightly at the short girl's sass. "That's like, hours away. Don't get your jimmies in a bunch," Sera crossed her arms.

Neo's eyebrows furrowed and she began to type.

 _Still gonna be dangerous._

"I know, Miss Vanilla. But it's not like it takes long to get gear together."

Neo rolled her eyes, _Whatever. Don't blame me when you slip up._

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

Neo only smirked in response and held a hand in front of her mouth as she silently giggled.

"…You're just messing with me, aren't you?"

Neo nodded. Sera sighed and uncrossed her arms, "You're a real piece of work. You know that?"

She nodded again. The amnesiac chuckled, "Whatever. I'm going to join my team. You can come if you want, you know. It might help for them to see that you're making an effort."

Neo shrugged half-heartedly, but reluctantly nodded. Sera stepped through the door with the shorter girl following closely behind. Weiss, Ruby, and Yang turned to see who had come out. Ruby rolled her silver eyes and returned her gaze to the sunset. Weiss looked rather indifferent, but it was hard to gauge what she was thinking. Yang, however, smiled at the sight of Sera. But she scowled slightly when she saw Neo.

Sera didn't say anything. She just plopped down on the ground next to Yang and crisscrossed her legs. "What's up?" She asked nonchalantly.

"Just enjoying the sunrise," Weiss responded, her icy blue eyes following Neo as she sat down next to Sera.

"Ah," Sera gazed at the horizon. "Kinda reminds me of Patch."

"That's what I said!" Yang said. Sera grinned and bumped her shoulder into the blond.

"So," Ruby said. "Today's supposedly the day." Weiss shifted uncomfortably. Sera didn't blame her. She wasn't exactly stoked at the prospect of confronting the headmaster of Haven for his possible betrayal. To top it all off, there was a good chance that some of Salem's forces would be there as well. Sera dreaded that Cinder would be present. They'd all been talking like it was a sure thing that she would, but no one knew the truth. Not for sure, anyway.

"Yep," Yang replied. Neo shifted, and Sera looked over to see a determined, yet slightly nervous expression on her face. The amnesiac patted her on the shoulder and gave her a reassuring nod. Sera still had her doubts about the girl beside her. They knew nothing, and she meant _nothing_ about her, besides her past employer. Sera decided she'd ask her about it later.

"Might have another fight on our hands," Weiss said with a twinge of bitterness.

"Yep," Sera sighed.

"We'll be fine. We always are," Yang insisted. Sera gave her a quizzical look and held up her golden arm. "Obviously."

Yang smirked and pulled her arm away. "Okay. _Most_ of the time."

"At least this time it'll be us, JNPR, Neo, Qrow, _and_ Ozpin. All we're missing is Blake." Weiss said and sat forward.

Yang's expression immediately soured. "Why? We don't need her." Then Ruby and Weiss exchanged glances. Even Sera was taken aback by her comment. She'd thought that Yang was past this after their conversation in Patch.

"What are you talking about, Yang?" Weiss asked gently.

Yang threw her hands up, "I mean we don't _need her!_ She left us, so let her stay gone."

Sera tried to take hold Yang's hand, but the blond shook her away. Neo didn't know what they were talking about, but she followed along silently as usual.

"Yang, even you have to realize that you're being irrational." Weiss said in her usual heiress voice. Yang's scowl deepened, "I don't care."

Before anyone else could say anything to calm her, the brawler stood abruptly and marched towards the house.

"What was _that_ about?" Ruby asked. Sera sighed and wrung her hands. Then she told them about her conversation with Yang regarding Blake.

"She feels like Blake abandoned her." Sera concluded.

"That's… Wow." Ruby blinked in disbelief, as if she couldn't believe her own sister's actions.

Weiss had been silent the whole time, her blue eyes focused as if she were drawing out a plan in her head. Then she stood and looked down at Sera and Ruby, "I'll talk to her. I think I can help."

"By all means, Ice Queen. Maybe you can fully get through to her, since apparently I didn't." Sera replied. Weiss didn't even scowl at her nickname. She just spun on her heel and headed for the house.

That left Sera, Ruby and Neo in uncomfortable silence.

"So," The purple-eyed huntress broke the silence. "Still mad at me?"

Ruby looked over to see Sera's trademark grin on her face and the familiar look of playfulness in her eyes. As much as she didn't want to, Ruby couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Honestly? I just realized I stopped being mad like five minutes after Neo showed up. But I just couldn't be like 'oh I'm cool now', y'know?"

Sera blinked and grinned again. "You're too cute for this world!" Sera tackled Ruby with a hug.

"Get off, please. You're embarrassing me in front of the psycho."

The next few hours were a blur. It was nice that Ruby was more accepting of Neo now, and the amnesiac could tell that Neo was happy about it.

The sun was beginning to go down on the horizon when Sera laid her gear across her bed. Crimson Eclipse lay besides Silver Linings and her half of Ember Celica. Beside her weapons was a choice of two outfits: her red coat and black pants, boots, and tank top or her white jacket and pants with purple trim and purple tube top.

Sera's violet eyes glanced between the two outfits, her fist pressed against her chin like _The Thinker._

With an indecisive sigh, she grabbed the white outfit. In no time at all she was changed into it and was now placing her weapons on her person. After sliding Ember Celica onto her left wrist, she turned to check her reflection. She wasn't even in the mood to compliment herself on her looks. Sera was way too anxious about what she and her friends were about to do.

A knock to the door shook her from her thoughts, and Sera turned to see Yang in the doorway.

"Hey," she said and stepped in. Sera gave a two fingered salute and continued gazing into the mirror. "Hey."

Yang went to stand beside the amnesiac, staring into their reflection as well.

"Nervous?" The blond asked. In response, Sera slipped her hand into Yang's and gave it a light squeeze. "I'll take that as a yes," Yang responded, squeezing her hand back.

"I'm scared," Sera murmured. Yang was taken back. She shook her head to make sure she'd heard right. Those were the last words she'd ever thought she'd hear from Sera. It just wasn't like her. The purple-eyed huntress had always charged in without a second thought for her own safety.

"Why?" Yang asked gently. Sera leaned into her and held her arm, "I don't know if I can protect all of you."

Yang almost laughed at that, but she steeled herself. "You don't need to worry about that. We can take care of ourselves, so don't worry Snowball."

Sera gave a weak smirk and held Yang's arm tighter. Her real one, not the cold metal one. "If she's there…"

"Hey, we'll be _fine._ Don't worry so much." Yang gave a broad grin. Sera looked up, her violet eyes meeting Yang's lilac ones. The brawler leaned in and kissed her, and for a moment, everything was fine.

Warmth spread through Sera's chest and she gave a content sigh. Then someone else knocked on the door. They turned to see Pyrrha standing there with a blush as red as her hair. She wore her combat armor, and her hair was up like it used to be.

"Erm… Everyone's waiting for you two. Sorry," She stammered.

"Thanks, Pyrrha. We'll be right there," Yang said. Both her and Sera wore extremely crimson blushes. Pyrrha disappeared in a hurry, and Sera let out a hoarse laugh. "Guess they're not used to seeing, well, us."

Yang grinned, "They better get used to it, cause we're not ashamed, are we?"

Sera's familiar smirk reappeared on her formerly downcast face. "Definitely not."

"Good!" Yang smiled and pecked her on the cheek. "Now come on, we've got a headmaster to confront."

. . .

Team JNPR, Qrow, Ozpin, Neo and team RWBYS (minus Blake) were marching towards Haven academy. The only light provided was the dim streetlights of the city. Ozpin and Qrow led the group, followed by RWBYS and Neo, then JNPR.

The city was quiet, only adding to everyone's suspense. Soon enough, they arrived at the front doors of Haven. The group of huntsmen stood before the entrance with anxious expressions.

"If this goes bad," Ozpin told them. "Just do what you were trained for, and we'll be okay."

And with that, he opened the door to the brightly lit, enormous room inside. Standing on the staircase was Leonardo Lionheart himself. Everyone entered cautiously, branching off and scanning the room and eyeing Lionheart.

"Well, Leo. We're here. Can we proceed with discussing a group to retrieve the Spring Maiden?" Qrow called. Before they arrived at the academy, Ozpin told them that he'd prefer to keep his identity a secret, so now Oscar was currently in control.

"Oh, there seems to be more of you than last time…" he said nervously.

"Uh, yeah?" Qrow responded. The headmaster's eyes flicked between each of them.

"Why… why do you have your weapons?"

Sera tensed.

Qrow furrowed his eyebrows. "What? We're huntsmen."

"Ah, but," a new voice said. A feminine voice, full of venom and mirth. "The Spring Maiden is already here." Then a figure stepped out of the shadows on the second floor above them. A woman wearing a black and red skirt, with long black hair and red eyes. To Sera, she looked oddly familiar. But to Qrow, Yang, and Ruby, they knew exactly who she was.

"Mom," Yang said. Sera's eyes widened and she looked at Yang. She could see the resemblance. Their faces were near identical, and their hair was similar, despite being different colors. They had the same intensity in their eyes, and Raven had the same cruel look that Yang sometimes got when she was _really_ angry.

"What're you doing here, Raven?" Qrow asked with absolutely no warmth in his voice.

"Can't a girl welcome her brother to Haven?" she asked. Then figures stepped out from behind pillars and from the shadows. Sera counted a total of seven opponents, counting Raven and Lionheart.

But what made Sera's heart drop was the woman in the red dress thirty feet in front of her.

Cinder looked horrible. Weak, even. Her hair was shorter, and an eyepatch resided over an eye.

She also saw Emerald and Mercury, plus a _really_ tall guy with arms as thick as Sera's waist.

Qrow tightened his jaw, "You're no sister of mine."

Raven wavered slightly.

Sera couldn't help but smirk at the Fall Maiden. "You're not looking so hot, Cinder. Guess Rubes really did a number on you."

She said nothing at first. The Fall Maiden sneered and her remaining eye blazed with fire. "You have nothing. Eight students, a boy, and Qrow Branwen against _us?_ There's no chance."

Team JNPR and RWBYS wavered slightly at that, but Sera smirked. "Well, you're forgetting someone."

Then a familiar ice cream girl walked out from behind a pillar, spinning a parasol on her shoulder. Emerald and Mercury looked rather surprised, and Cinder's face contorted with rage.

"You…" She seethed. Neo smirked at the Maiden. Sera could see an excited light in her eyes. Then she bowed, and her hair changed color until it was even more orange than Nora's. When she picked her head up, her eyes were a shade of light brown.

Even her clothes changed color until they matched that of Roman Torchwick. She spun the black bowler hat in her hands and set it on her head.

Then Cinder's forces readied their weapons and got into fighting stances. Weiss, Ruby, and Yang looked to Sera. She was the one standing at the front of their side. Sera looked over to Qrow, and he shrugged in response.

"Whatcha thinking?" Yang murmured from beside her. Sera grinned and rested her sword onto her shoulder.

"Saturday night's all right for fighting."

"…It's Wednesday." Yang deadpanned.

"Shut up, blondie."

And with that, they charged. Yang and Qrow rushed Raven. Ruby and Weiss went for Emerald, Jaune and Pyrrha for Mercury, and Ren and Nora for the big guy. Oscar ran after Lionheart, who was retreating up the stairs. And Sera… well, Sera ran straight for Cinder Fall, and Neo followed.

Originally, she'd been nervous to face the Maiden again, but seeing her in the state she was in alleviated some of that fear.

The huntress raised Crimson Eclipse and deflected the plumes of red-hot flames sent her way

Crimson Eclipse clashed against a pair of short swords that Cinder formed out of thin air. Sera immediately went on the defensive— slashing rapidly at Cinder and hoping to wear her aura down. Luckily, she had Neo to help.

The shorter woman was deadly with her parasol, delivering quick and precise strikes to the Maiden's unprotected sides.

Sera was in the zone. She sliced, jabbed, parried, rolled, and kicked like she'd been fighting her entire life. Being a huntress in training, she _had_ been fighting all her life.

But while Cinder was weakened, she still fought like a demon. She used _all_ of her powers to combat Sera. Blasting her with fire, quickly summoning all sorts of glass weapons to use, and flipping and dodging around like a trained acrobatic.

Sera had time to glance over and see Yang trading blows with an unknown woman. She had short hair and intense blue eyes, and she used some sort of bladed gauntlets.

The Spring Maiden, Sera thought to herself. _That's_ her? I was expecting someone a little more, I dunno, impressive. This girl looked like she might hang around a café and gossip all day.

Meanwhile, Qrow was dueling his sister. They fought viciously, and the scary thing was that they were evenly matched.

But the amnesiac had to turn her attention back to Cinder when she felt a blow to her side. Sera clenched her jaw and slammed Crimson Eclipse into her chest, sending the Maiden flying away.

Something slammed into a column and fell to the floor. Sera turned her head to see Ren struggling to his feet, clutching his side tightly. From where he'd come from, Nora was dueling the giant man, a wild look in her aqua eyes. The guy could deflect Nora's hammer strikes like they were nothing. Every time she scored a successful blow, he gritted his teeth and fought harder.

Slight panic filled Sera's mind. She needed to go help Nora, but in order to do so, she'd abandon Cinder.

Sera clenched her sword tighter and returned her focus to Cinder. The Maiden was literally flying towards her, an enraged expression on her face while fire blasted from her hands to propel her forward. She just had time to think _uh-oh_ when Neo slammed into her side, knocking Sera out of the way.

That knocked some sense into her. Sera dashed to her feet and stared down Cinder, who had shot right past them.

"Think you can hold her off for a while?" Sera asked the mute to her right. Neo flashed her a sly grin like, _Of course I can, Snowball._

"Just for a little while, I have to help Nora!" Sera said, then dashed off with Crimson Eclipse in hand. Neo smiled and rushed Cinder, her deadly parasol ready to strike.

Hazel's eyes were calm as he caught Nora's hammer and tossed her back. Sera appeared out of nowhere and sliced the giant across the back. He turned stiffly and scowled down at her.

"The child," he said stiffly.

"Do I look like a child to you, big guy?" Sera smirked.

His frown deepened. "Yes."

"Oh. Well, all right." Sera frowned and charged. He was huge, at least eight feet tall with bulging muscles and a hard expression.

Sera evaded his pillar-sized leg and drove her sword into his gut. The blade deflected off his greenish aura. He scowled and grabbed Sera's whole head with his massive hand, throwing her aside as easily as she would a Beowolf. If someone were close enough, they would've heard the muffled, startled scream from Sera when his hand enveloped her head.

She skidded across the floor and into the midst of the fight. Weiss and Jaune were squaring off with Cinder now. She didn't know where Neo was, but hopefully the mute hadn't abandoned them.

Yang was trading blows with Mercury and Qrow was still facing off with Raven. Vernal tried to intervene, but the blue-eyed woman was outmatched against Yang, even with the Raven's help.

Ruby fought against Emerald, and Pyrrha was running to help Jaune.

Sera got to her feet and turned to Hazel again. Except now, he was staring down someone else.

Oscar, no wait, _Ozpin_ was descending the steps towards Hazel.

"OZPIN?!" Hazel roared.

"Uh-oh," Sera murmured. Apparently, the giant had some sort of beef with Beacon's headmaster.

Ozpin's eyes hardened, and he leaped towards Hazel. Oscar's small body proved useful against Hazel. He could outmaneuver him by dashing around his legs, all the while jabbing him with the butt of Ozpin's cane.

Sera gritted her teeth and rushed to the headmaster's aid. She shouted and tried to drive her sword through his giant chest, but just like before, his aura was too strong. He didn't care his entire focus was on Ozpin.

That was when Sera heard Weiss yell in pain. Her head whipped around to see something terrible.

Cinder's sword was buried in the former heiress's gut, much like she'd done to Sera.

Sera's eyes widened, and somewhere to her left, she heard Ruby shriek, and a silver glow enveloped the large room. Or it would have, if Mercury hadn't whacked her in the back of the head. Ruby slumped forward, unconscious.

Sera was too far away to do anything, but luckily, Pyrrha and Jaune were to the rescue.

Pyrrha slammed into the Maiden and knocked her away from Weiss, who immediately fell to her back, clutching the stab in her gut.

The amnesiac rushed forward, completely forgetting about Hazel and Ozpin, and ran for Weiss. While Pyrrha focused all her energy on fighting Cinder, Jaune, Ren, and Nora knelt at Weiss's side.

Just as Sera got there, an odd greenish glow was emanating from Jaune's hands. It looked like the reflective light you see at the bottom of water, washing over Weiss's body.

Sera knelt on Weiss's other side and stared at the wound. It looked so much like hers, she felt her abdomen ache where the blade had pierced through.

"She's stabilizing," Ren said in awe.

"I don't know how I'm doing this…" Jaune admitted.

"Well, keep doing it," Nora suggested.

Sera could only stare at Weiss's face. Her breathing was less erratic and more relaxed, as if she were sleeping. The bleeding had stopped, and the wound was slowly but surely fading.

"Wish you'd unlocked your semblance when _I_ got stabbed," Sera mumbled, getting over her shock of Weiss being stabbed.

"You kind of flew us away," Jaune countered.

"Yeah, but still—" Sera said, then Pyrrha slammed into her.

Once they untangled themselves, her eyes scanned wildly. "Where's Cinder?"

"She blasted me away then took off!" Pyrrha exclaimed. Then Sera spotted her. The Maiden was dashing through a hidden entrance at the base of a large statue of a woman. Raven and Vernal followed close behind.

"I have to go," Sera stated, then took off.

"Sera, wait!" Nora tried to stop her, but she didn't care. Cinder had hurt one of her teammates, and now they were probably headed for the relic.

Emerald and Mercury tried to intercept her. Sera narrowed her eyes and slung Crimson Eclipse over her shoulder.

 _STOP!_ She mentally screamed. Mercury and Emerald came to an abrupt halt. Sera jumped over them and ducked inside the hidden door. As soon as her feet had touched the ground, time resumed, and Mercury and Emerald exclaimed in surprise. It was too late to catch the lift, so she jumped down the elevator shaft.

Wind blew her hair straight up as she fell down the shaft. She stuck her arms up and straightened her legs, so she'd fall faster, then she saw the bottom. A distant square of dim light rushed towards her.

Just before she made impact, she tucked herself into a ball and hit the ground rolling, turning all her momentum into that roll.

She came up immediately and drew Crimson Eclipse. There was no immediate threat, but she didn't let her guard down. There was a winding staircase going down in front of her, suspended over a black abyss. Already across the stairs and approaching a giant _thing._ Sera didn't know what it was. She assumed it was the vault.

She sprinted down the steps as fast as her legs would allow. She reached the central platform just in time to see Cinder turn Raven into a popsicle and extend her blackened Grimm hand towards the Spring Maiden. Her claws sunk into Vernal's stomach before Sera could cry out. She knew what Cinder was trying to do—the same thing she'd tried to do to _her_ on the night Beacon fell: take her power.

The Spring Maiden fell to the ground, blood pooling around her body while Cinder smiled triumphantly. But something was wrong. No power was surging into her from Vernal's body. No bright lights, no Maiden glowing.

Sera was halfway to them now, clutching Crimson Eclipse to her side tightly. She quickly drew Silver Linings and aimed down its sights while sprinting.

The thing that made her hesitate was seeing the ice on Raven's body crack apart. Shards of ice fell from her to the ground.

"She's not the Spring Maiden," Raven removed her Grimm mask. " _I_ am." Her eyes burned with blue flame.

Cinder could see Sera now. Her eye was wide with fear as she withdrew her Grimm arm and assumed a fighting stance as orange fire enveloped her remaining eye.

Sera fired all nine rounds from Silver Linings at each of them. The Dust rounds clattered harmlessly off their flame aura and fell to the ground, now molten.

Raven looked over her shoulder and regarded the newcomer with cold eyes.

"Well," Sera said as she popped a new cylinder into her revolver, trying to mask her growing fear of fighting not one, but _two_ Maidens. It hadn't gone so well last time, when the number was only one. "Sorry to ruin the party."

"You have no business here, _girl."_ Cinder growled, her eyes still on Raven.

"Wrong, Cindy. I have _every_ business being here." Then she scratched her head with the barrel of her gun. "Every business? Does that make sense? Anyway, you hurt my friends and you stabbed _me_ through the gut, so I'd say I'm right where I should be."

Raven drew her katana. "Leave if you value your life."

"Oh, _you're_ not off the hook either," Sera scowled. "Tai and Yang have told me enough to consider _you_ an enemy." She rested Crimson Eclipse on her shoulder and holstered her firearm.

Cinder grew impatient. She rushed Raven, who deflected the blow easily and counterattacked. They traded blows in a flurry, their weapons glowing to match their burning auras.

Sera narrowed her eyes and charged, bringing her sword down onto Cinder's shoulder. The Fall Maiden was shoved aside, giving Raven the opportunity to slice into her exposed chest. In the blink of an eye, Sera swung her sword into Raven's side and batted her back.

"Maidens or not," Sera shouted as she evaded a blast of fire from Cinder. "I'll take you both on!"

She kicked Cinder in the side and used her own momentum to vault back to Raven and slice into her shoulder. Raven grunted and sent a flurry of rapid strikes to Sera's body. The amnesiac only managed to block a few of them. The rest hit her so powerfully, her aura was already flickering.

Jeez, she thought. I thought Cinder was strong. Raven's had more time to practice her powers.

Sera got to her feet, and her jaw dropped. Raven and Cinder were whacking away at each other with large swords that seemed to be made of pure energy. They floated in the air, their eyes burning furiously.

If this was how two Maidens fought, I'd hate to see how Salem is, she thought.

Sera clenched her teeth and gripped her sword tighter. She was stupid for coming down here alone. Raven had only hit her a little, and her aura was already weakened. With them floating around like that, she couldn't attack. Unless…

She wanted to scream, to slice down everything around her with her sword. Instead, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She focused on her anger at Cinder and Salem, at Tyrian, Christian Castelo, and at herself. She imagined her fight against the giant Minotaur Grimm and against Cinder on top of Beacon Tower. She allowed all her anger and resentment and fear to surface to the forefront of her mind. She pictured all those she was fighting for: Ruby, Yang, Weiss, Qrow, and JNPR.

She felt energy flow down her limbs, making rejuvenating her tired body and strengthening her aura.

Then she opened her eyes.

The first thing she did was look down at her open palms. They were as white as chalk. When she turned her hands over, black veins webbed across the top of them, and her fingernails were as black as any Grimm.

Sera grinned. She hefted Crimson Eclipse and glared up at the dueling Maidens. Then she jumped at them.

She'd never jumped so high in her life. She soared up to them, right in the middle of their clashing blades, and blocked both swords of energy on her own sword.

"I didn't come down here to be ignored," Sera told them. Raven's eyes widened and she faltered, which gave Cinder enough time to snap her fingers and cause an explosion of fire to erupt between Sera and Raven.

They all flew in different directions. Sera's back slammed into the ground below, but she didn't feel it. Raven hit the vault and fell to the floor. Cinder landed rather nimbly and smirked.

She formed a glass sword in each hand and approached them at a leisurely pace.

"Did you _really_ think you could stand up to not one, but two Maidens? My word, you truly are pitiful!" she cackled. Sera clenched her jaw and got to her feet, holding Crimson Eclipse at her side.

"Look at you. You're so hungry for power, you'd transform your own body into Grimm to get it," she gestured to Cinder's blackened arm. The Fall Maiden scowled and raised her duel swords, but Raven slammed into her.

The two Maidens went tumbling as they wrestled for dominance. Sera didn't waste a beat. She rushed towards them and brought her sword onto both of them.

Sera could _feel_ her eyes glowing red. It felt strangely pleasing, and she wondered if that was how Yang felt when she used her semblance. Wait, semblance.

Sera spread her arms and let out a shout. Suddenly, Raven and Cinder stopped fighting, frozen with their hands at each other's throats.

She approached the two of them and began slicing into them without a moment's hesitation. Crimson Eclipse struck in a flurry of precise cuts, delivering blows all over their bodies. She doubted it'd do much against two Maidens, but it was better than getting beat up further.

She didn't even realize when her semblance had come to an end. Suddenly the two women began moving again, except they flew in opposite directions and landed on their feet. They didn't even look winded. Meanwhile, despite being all powered up and stuff, Sera's chest heaved. She'd only used her semblance for a short while, so she wondered why she was already so tired.

Raven glared at Cinder, and she at Raven, ignoring Sera again. Sera took offense to that. She gritted her teeth and charged them again, but Cinder and Raven disappeared before she could reach them.

They were in the air again, striking furiously at each other. Their eyes glowed with their respective colors and they slammed swords of energy into one another.

Sera jumped at them again. Or would have, but Cinder's body collided with her and sent them back to the ground.

The amnesiac rolled to her feet and slammed her sword into Cinder, only for the Maiden to blast her back with fire. Sera was beginning to despise fire.

Sera panted and unsteadily got to her feet. She took the time to inspect her surroundings. The floor beneath her was crumbling, and the two Maidens seemed to finally be getting tired.

Then she saw a flash of yellow.

She turned her head to see Yang running down the stairs towards them.

"No," Sera muttered. She turned to Cinder and Raven and hefted her sword. The look in her eyes must've been truly terrifying, because they faltered.

I can't let them hurt her, she thought. Despite already feeling out of the fight, she got ready to use her semblance yet again.

Sera took a deep breath.

 _Stop,_ she thought, much more calmly than usual. Time slowed to a halt.

Raven was behind her, Cinder was in front. She intended to end the fight here, but she wasn't confident she'd be able to.

Sera charged Cinder. She let out a flurry of attacks to the Fall Maiden, slicing across her torso as quickly and powerfully as possible. She kicked, punched, hit her with the hilt of Crimson Eclipse, and several other attacks in the midst of her fury.

She felt that her world of frozen time was about to end. So with one last attack, she reared back and hit the Maiden in the side of the head as hard as she could. In that instance, time became fluid again.

Cinder cried out as she was launched towards the vault. Sera had to struggle to keep from collapsing. She wobbled from side to side and panted hard, leaning onto her sword for support.

Raven blinked, and instead of rushing Sera, she ran for Cinder.

Sera dropped to one knee, her chest heaving. Yang appeared at her side and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Sera come on we have to get out of…" she faltered when Sera looked up. The amnesiac's eye glowed red, her skin was as white as snow and nearly matched her hair, the whites of her eyes were black as midnight, and black veins were spread on either side of her face.

"Hey," Sera panted. Yang shook her head as if making sure she was seeing right.

"Come on, we have to—"

"Nah," Sera's chest heaved as she got to her feet shakily. "You get outta here. I got a couple Maidens to handle."

Yang frowned. "You're coming with me."

Sera grinned weakly. "Get outta here, Blondie."

The brawler shook her head stubbornly. Raven and Cinder were at it again, using the full extent of their Maiden powers to attack each other.

Sera hefted her sword tiredly. "I can take em, just go make sure Ruby's all right."

"Sera, you're being unreasonable."

"I know," she winked. Yang groaned. She knew she wasn't going to change the white head's mind. Instead, she busted out Ember Celica and raised her fists.

"Together?" she asked.

Sera grinned, ignoring the fight in front of them. She knew that if these two kept going at it, the entire city would probably crumble from the sheer intensity of their power. Yang was glaring at her mother and Cinder with hate-filled eyes, but Sera never thought she looked more gorgeous.

"Gods, I'm gonna miss you," Sera told her. Yang's eyes widened at her statement, but before she could say anything, Sera pulled her into an intense and passionate kiss. Explosions rocketed around them and the two Maidens were shouting in their fight, but Sera didn't care.

She let go of Yang and shoved her back with all her might. As soon as her hands left Yang, Sera focused as hard as she could in that split second.

 _STOP._

Raven and Cinder froze. Sera ran towards them at full-speed, turning her head long enough to see Yang frozen mid-fall, a mix of shock, fear, and despair on her face.

Sera screamed and swung Crimson Eclipse into Cinder. She stood between the two Maidens, alternating between attacking Raven and Cinder. She didn't know how long she could keep this up, but she had to push herself.

She felt herself go on autopilot like she always did when practicing her swordplay on dummies. With Cinder and Raven being frozen in time like they were, it wasn't much different.

The huntress's eyes blazed with anger at both of them. Raven for abandoning Yang and Tai to pursue her own selfish desires, and at Cinder for just generally being a cunt.

Before she even realized it, Cinder and Raven moved again. They flew in opposite directions from the onslaught of Sera's attacks, but they still looked raring to go.

Sera stood with her sword hung at her side. Her chest heaved heavily, and she swayed as she stood.

Cinder's aura flickered slightly, a crackle of orange energy rippling at her thigh. Then Sera heard her laugh.

"After all that, and you've still only managed to _scratch_ my aura. And look! Raven isn't even damaged," Cinder announced. Sera didn't understand why she was praising Raven's well-being, they were just fighting to the death, after all.

Sera bit back a curse. She was right. Even with her enhanced power, it was still next to nothing compared to the power of a Maiden. If she'd practiced with it and trained its potential, then _maybe,_ but this was only the second time she'd used this power.

The amnesiac charged into battle expecting to die, and now she figured that's what was about to happen. She glanced to her side to see Yang standing where she'd been pushed, a look of absolute terror etched on her usually cheerful face.

She turned to look at Raven, who was analyzing the huntress and enemy Maiden before her, as if planning the best way to take them both down.

Sera decided that Raven was the lesser of two evils. All this time, Raven had been targeting _Cinder,_ not her. Either she was really mad at the Fall Maiden, or she hadn't really been trying to harm Sera.

The huntress turned back to Cinder, fire blazing from her eye and hands, then she smirked. Cinder was standing at the edge of the abyss.

Cinder faltered, as if she weren't expecting Sera to have her usual cockiness about her. Then she charged, activating her semblance one final time.

She closed the distance in mere seconds, which was good because time resumed just before she reached the Maiden. Cinder's eyes flashed with fear. Hey, you'd be scared too if a Salem lookalike suddenly appeared in front of you with a smirk on her face and a hateful look in her glowing red eyes.

Just before she launched herself forward to collide with Cinder, she turned to Yang to take in one last look at the blond. Her eyes were wide and brimming with tears. Despite being, well, Yang, she just stood there. It honestly broke Sera's heart to see her like that, but in that moment, she remembered every good time they'd had together.

"See you around, blondie," Sera whispered, but she was sure that Yang heard her.

Sera tackled Cinder with all her might, which meant she had to drop her sword to do so. The sharp blade impaled itself into the concrete at the edge of the abyss, standing straight up as if it'd been sitting there for years.

Cinder's eye blazed with anger at the amnesiac, but Sera didn't care. She tackled the blazing woman right off the edge, holding onto the Maiden's body as tightly as she could.

From above, Raven's eyes blazed blue, and she sent a massive blast of fire towards them. The flames enveloped the two and sent them flying at Mach speed, rocketing downwards like a bullet.

"You _dare?!"_ Cinder exclaimed, seemingly unable to free herself from Sera's iron grip. The huntress ignored her. Her thoughts consisted only of her teammates above. She didn't know what Raven would do now, but at least the Maidens' fight was finished.

Sera held tighter, ignoring the burning flames scorching her body from Cinder. She squeezed her eyes shut.

I'm sorry, she mentally sobbed to her friends, then she and Cinder fell into complete blackness.

 _ **Super emotional and heartbreaking, right? At least, I hope so. Kinda what I was going for. Hope the chapter was enjoyable, I try to make it be.**_

 _ **On the next chapter! It's been hinted at several times in the past, what with when Ozpin gave Sera Crimson Eclipse, and with the symbols she wears with every outfit, and with her semblance itself! I hope you boys and girls like (or at least tolerate) Greek Mythology. I'll try to remember explaining all the different things that the non-geeky may not know.**_

 _ **I'm trying to work it in so that the mythology stuff doesn't drastically change the story or anything like that, so no worries if you don't like the idea. It's just gonna be small stuff, except for the big stuff that explains Sera's**_ **true** _ **origins and all that. But don't expect anything big like "Oh boy Apollo just showed up outta nowhere to talk to Ruby Rose!" cause let's be honest, that'd suck. To reiterate, it'll just have to do with Sera.**_

 _ **P.S. yeah, Neo's a thing now. Why not? I think I can make this work to where people like it. Since she was hunting Cinder anyway, I figured I'd mix things up a bit. Also, I kind of wanted to recreate a scene from Austin Powers: Goldmember where Mini Me switched sides and looked like a mini Austin, so I wanted to do a similar thing with Neo. I think it'd be funny, but sorry if you guys don't like it.**_

 _ **And yes, Sera's semblance was originally a JoJo's reference.**_


	10. Ain't No Place for No Hero

Sera hated her life. One day she's holding hands with the girl she likes and the next she's chained up in a small room roughly half the size of her old dorm. Which is to say, not that spacious.

Once the blackness lifted from her vision the spots disappeared from her eyes, she brought her tired head up. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes and tried to bring her hands to her face, only to find that she was bound. She looked up to see her arms strung up by black chains so that it looked like she was the Y in _YMCA._

Her ankles were chained as well, but with much more slack so that she could actually move her feet more than three inches in any direction.

Sera's head pounded like she'd been subjected to a whack from Nora Valkyrie. Despite her daze and tiredness, she looked around to check her surroundings. She was in a square cobblestone room roughly fifteen feet in length and width. There were no windows, save for the slat in the metal door on the wall she faced, and the room was dimly lit a single torch on the wall to her left.

She looked down to inspect herself for injuries. Thankfully, her battle injuries had healed, courtesy of her aura, but she still felt like she'd been hit by a Bullhead at max velocity. She wore only her torn purple shirt and white jeans. Her white jacket was missing, along with her boots, bracelet, and gun belt.

With nothing else to do, she replayed the events of yesterday in her head. At least, she _thought_ it was only yesterday. There's no telling how long she'd been out. Her last memory was of her falling—falling into the dark abyss with Cinder Fall.

Hours passed in that small room. She didn't know how many. Sera just sat there, counting the walls, and trying to think of a way to escape. She struggled against the chains, but it was no use. They were much too strong for her.

. . .

Sera jolted awake when the door slammed closed. She'd fallen asleep in her bonds, and now her neck was stiff from hanging down. Despite the sharp pain, she picked her head up to see her visitor, and her blood ran cold. Her breathing became so quick, she thought she was hyperventilating.

Standing before her was a tall woman with white hair held up in an ornate design, blood red eyes and black sclera, skin as pale as snow with black veins on the sides of her face and on her arms, and a black robe that was so long, it collected around the floor.

Salem herself looked down upon Sera with a distasteful expression on her face.

Sera was panicking. Here she was, the woman who wanted to destroy the world and her _mother._

"Daughter," she said coldly. Sera didn't respond. She was too busy wishing she could run away. Far away.

"Finally, we're reunited." She spread her hands. She reached down to touch Sera's face, but the huntress flinched. Salem's red eyes seemed to gaze right through her, as if she wasn't looking at her daughter, but a source of power. Returning her hand to her side, Salem smiled. "We have much to discuss." Then she snapped her fingers, and the chains that bound Sera were released.

The amnesiac immediately dashed backwards and pressed her back against the cold stone wall behind her.

"You're meant for great things, you know." She said.

"My father is here, isn't he?" Sera blurted. She didn't even have the courage to come up with a witty retort.

Salem's expression soured. "That… man." She said 'man' like it was the worst thing she could come up with.

"What do you want with me? If you and my… my father were a 'thing,' then why—" Sera asked. Salem spread her arms and laughed.

"Why, did you think you were _born_ because I 'loved' your father? That we were a happy family? That you were just a normal huntress?"

" _Oh, I'm_ far _from normal,"_ Sera thought.

"No, my daughter, I _used_ your father because of his bloodline. A child with the abilities of the old gods and Grimm darkness? Your destiny is to take over the world for me!" She announced. Sera didn't like the sound of any of that. But it made sense. World domination and all that. That old chestnut that villains loved to obsess over.

"What do you mean by his bloodline and old gods?" Sera managed. Salem's sinister smile broadened.

"Why do you _think_ your semblance is the way it is, girl?"

I blinked, "Because semblances are a reflection of one's soul, and—"

"NO!" Salem's voice shook the small room. "There's immortal blood in your veins, girl. Old gods. Not as old as the Brothers, but old. The very essence of time is your legacy, daughter."

Sera blinked. Okay, so she's crazier than I thought, Sera thought to herself.

"O-o-o-kay…"

Salem sneered. "Have you wondered why you're more powerful than the average huntress, why Ozpin made sure to keep an eye on you? Your _father_ is the reason. I know that you think I'm insane. You, my daughter, are the last descendant of the Titans, of Cronus himself."

Sera blinked again. "Who?"

The witch scowled. "Have you learned _nothing?_ That symbol on your arm—that represents the old gods. But the Titans are older. Much older. Older than _me._ "

Then a flashback went through Sera's head. Whenever Ozpin gave her her new weapon and clothes, he'd told her about old gods. A powerful civilization as old as Remnant itself. That's what the symbol on her arm represented.

Sera looked down at her tattooed arm. Then she felt something…odd. Memories, like puzzle pieces, fitted themselves into her mind. Not all of them, she could feel that much, but suddenly…she knew what this symbol stood for.

The last descendant of the old gods. The last symbol in that civilization's alphabet. The Omega.

"Yes," Salem seemed to read her mind.

Knowledge washed over her like a tidal wave. She used to research this old civilization. She was obsessed with it, and she had no idea why. Mysterious names and stories filled her mind. But one word stood out among the rest: OLYMPUS. It was the name of her original team, but it also stood for much, much more.

Sera stumbled, catching herself on the wall as she breathed heavily. Cronus… he was the King of the Titans. The gods overthrew the Titans and ruled the world in their place.

Salem was smiling victoriously now. "You see, this is your destiny. Retake your ancestors' place as ruler of humanity. It's only right."

Sera gazed in her direction, but her eyes felt glassy. She was a descendant of Cronus? But why would…why would he take a human companion? What was the purpose? For this? So that his descendants would take revenge in his name and reclaim the planet for their— _our_ own? It wasn't right, and Sera refused to have any part of it.

Sera stood unsteadily. Her 'mother' was still talking.

"With the power of the Titans and my own blood pumping through you, you'd be unstoppable. Take your place at my side, daughter."

Her words were soothing, but Sera was far too upset to listen. _This_ is the purpose for her birth? To be some sort of doomsday child? No. If this was her fate, she would have nothing of it.

"No." She stated calmly.

Surprise spread over Salem's pale features, but it was quickly replaced by rage.

"You dare—"

" _Fuck_ you and your twisted logic. Reclaim my place as ruler? I want none of that, _mother."_ Then Sera raised her hand at the pale woman. She intended to use her semblance and attack her, but as soon as she urged her power forth, white-hot pain washed over her body.

The huntress crumpled to the floor and gasped as if she wasn't getting hair. Heat seared through her entire body, and she felt like she was going to melt.

"Did you _really_ think I'd allow you to attempt escape?" she chided.

I mean, a little, Sera thought. Then when she looked up, the witch was smiling. She waved her hand, and several circles of picture floated in the air. Each of them showed a familiar-looking girl, but she was also not familiar. Sera saw herself in each circle, but not her. In the first one, she saw herself walking down a sandy beach. Except she had long blonde hair and eyes the color of the sky. In another, she was holding hands with a pretty girl with brown hair and green eyes. Her clone had black hair in her same usual style and light blue eyes. In the third, she was fighting for her life against an impossible foe—a giant humanoid creature as tall as Beacon Tower with a horrendous, scaly body. This Sera had the same black hairstyle, but she had electric-blue eyes that sparked with energy. She wore a bronze breast plate, bracers, and wielded a short sword about three feet long with a leaf-shaped blade.

In the fourth image, Sera saw her usual self. White hair, violet eyes, tattooed arms, but this time… This time she was holding an infant with blond hair and eyes the same color as hers. This Sera bounced the baby gently, her eyes full of love and care. Then someone walked in, and it was Yang Xiao Long. Yang smiled and wrapped her arms around the clone Sera from behind. She had no idea how the things in the image were even _possible._ Unless some sort of modern technology made that sort of thing, well, possible.

Sera tore her eyes away from the image. She could feel tears threatening to fall.

In the final circle of reality, Sera saw herself with black hair tied back and violet eyes. She was sitting in a classroom full of other people her age, paying close attention to what the person at the front of the room was saying.

"These are alternate realities. Some, what your life _could_ be."

Then Salem waved her hand again until only the one with Yang in it remained. "You _could_ have this if you submit, you know. But don't you think you're a bit young for children?" Salem mused as she held the image in the palm of her hand. She closed her fingers, and the image shattered like glass.

Sera glared at her mother with pure hate in her eyes. "I won't do it."

Salem scowled and snapped her fingers again, and Sera was again suspended by chains. She looked distastefully at her daughter's pained face.

"You are a disappointment. You have power. Enough power to take on the Brothers themselves, and you choose to waste it. The power of Time runs through your veins, along with pure darkness. How you have seen the light, I haven't an inkling. But if you won't serve me—" She snapped her fingers, and the chains tightened until she was suspended in midair like a human X. "—then you can rot."

And with that, Salem dissipated into darkness and disappeared.

Sera felt on odd vibration in the floor. She recognized it instantly—thunderclaps.

She wanted to get angry, to call upon whatever power her mother was talking about and bust out of there. That's what a real hero would do. Instead, she broke down and sobbed. For the first time since waking up in Forever Fall, she felt absolutely powerless.

. . .

Sera lost track of how much time had passed since her mother introduced herself. The huntress was desperately trying to think of an escape, but it leaving this room was either impossible or Sera wasn't clever enough to find a way.

It had felt like hours, maybe a day, when the heavy metal door swung open again. Sera picked her head up to see who was "visiting" her now, and it was none other than Salem again.

A cold smile spread across the immortal's face when she saw the look of pure despair, yet with a hint of defiance, in her daughter's eyes. "Have you thought of my offer?"

"What, ruling the planet with you using my so-called 'gifts'? Yeah, I've thought about it." Sera spat.

Salem spread her hands. "And?"

"And I think you're a lunatic."

A sneer formed on the woman's pale face, her red eyes glowing in the dimly lit room. She walked further into the cell until she stood directly in front of Sera, who was smirking defiantly. Salem raised a hand, her fingers dancing with sinister purple energy.

A flash of fear went through Sera's mind. She wouldn't kill me, would she? Sera thought. Then Salem sent the energy at her, and Sera braced herself for the worst. And it was just as she expected.

Searing pain engulfed her entire body as the energy wrapped around her throat, chest, and wrists. Sera cried out, Salem's energy invading every fiber of her being. The witch herself smiled at the sound of her daughter's pained screaming.

Sera balled her fists and clenched her jaw. She just wanted the pain to stop. She wanted Salem's dark energy to leave her body. She pictured it, the sinister aura expelling from her body and dissipating.

Then, the pain eased in her body. Her breathing returned to normal. When she looked down at herself, she almost yelped.

She looked like she did on top of Beacon Tower. Her skin was pale and black veins mapped her arms. She figured her eyes were all creepy too.

Sera saw the purple energy that her mother sent at her, except it was different. It stuck to her body, like her aura does. Instead of giving off an evil vibe and making her skin crawl at the sight, the energy was warm. Radiant, even. It pulsed with life and reminded Sera of herself, in an odd way.

Then deep laughter emanated from the woman in front of her.

Sera looked up to meet Salem's eyes. The immortal was smiling, as if she were actually happy. No, it was something else: satisfaction, as if a plan was all coming together.

"Excellent! It's just how I pictured! Well, not exactly. But close enough!" she cackled.

Sera could only blink in confusion. The hell was she talking about?"

As if reading her mind, Salem bellowed, "Your true form! How you're supposed to _always_ look! Like mother, like daughter, eh?"

"I'm nothing like you," Sera growled.

Salem smiled wider. "No? Then how did you make my energy your own? Look at it, you know it's true."

A sense of dread settled over Sera. Salem wasn't wrong. But…she wasn't entirely right either. She'd said, _It's just how I pictured! Well, not exactly._ Maybe there was something different about how Sera looked. She cursed herself, wishing there was some sort of mirror.

In order to but up a tough front, Sera glared her mother in the eyes, "I'll _never_ help you."

The immortal smiled slyly. "We'll see. Until next time, how about you think on my _offer_ some more and come to a better conclusion. One that benefits the well-being of those you hold dear."

The hell does _that_ mean?

With a cocky wave, Salem turned and swiftly left the dim cell, leaving Sera alone once more.

The huntress took a deep breath and tried to process everything that had just happened. She'd taken Salem's energy and made it her own. She was somehow compatible or something with Salem's powers, probably because she was her daughter and everything.

Then her eyes widened when realization dawned on her. She could _fight_ Salem. If she could learn to control her "true form" as Salem put it, she could actually stand a chance.

Sera glanced at her arms, but her skin was already returning to its normal shade. It didn't matter. Smiling to herself, she began to formulate a plan.

. . .

Days have passed since Salem's last visit. Every day, some minion would come into her cell and feed her horrible-tasting gruel that was the color of lint. She got one bathroom break every six hours. You don't wanna know what the bathroom is.

She'd had dreams as well. None of them were pleasant. In one, she saw Qrow, RWBY, Oscar, and an old lady riding in the back of an old wagon that was being pulled by Yang on Bumblebee. In another, her team fought a swarm of flying Grimm on top of a train on a snowy mountain.

She desperately wanted to see her friends, to get out of this evil castle.

Sera Purpura could do nothing but wonder how her friends were doing and review over the newly unlocked knowledge in her mind. Dozens of names floating around her head, each of them holding more meaning than she could comprehend. The gods of Olympus, the Titans, the Underworld, Tartarus, the countless heroes that did the gods' bidding.

But where were the gods now, and why were there so little traces that they actually existed? It made no sense, and it drove Sera mad. She desperately wished that more of her memory would return instead of all this useless information that she had no idea what to do with.

Footsteps rang across the stone floor. Sera didn't even look up. She was too busy imagining her teammates and idly mumbling lyrics to a song she'd heard long ago.

"Almost heaven…"

"Sera." A gruff voice said.

"West Vale, yeah…" She mumbled and scratched at the floor with her toe.

"Sera," the voice said, more urgently.

"Blue ridge mountains, Shenandoah River..." Sera half-chuckled.

"Look up."

"Life is old there, older than the trees…" Sera's glazed eyes shifted, her hair hanging in her face.

"Please."

"Younger than the mountains…"

"Sera."

"Blowing like the breeze…"

"SERA!"

Sera looked up as if she'd just awoken, and what she saw was not pleasant. A man in a white robe with black hair, electric blue eyes, and a neatly trimmed beard stood before her. She didn't know what to make of the man. Under normal circumstances, she would've made fun of his toga-like robes.

"Who're you?" she mumbled. The man looked pained to see her like this.

"A friend. I've come to give you news."

"What sort? Like, the bad sort, or the _really_ bad sort?" Sera asked with an odd tone of voice. She was delirious.

"Your friends are in grave danger." He insisted.

"That's a first," Sera chuckled and hung her head.

"Don't you wish to see them again?" he asked.

"Of course, I would, Mr. Toga Man. But I'm kinda preoccupied with being a prisoner." She said quietly.

"And if I give you the power to escape, you could free yourself and return to your friends." The man promised.

"That'd be great. But see, I'm like, Miss Doomsday, apparently. So, I should be _just_ fine." She said. The man sighed and stroked his beard. His very presence reminded Sera of the calm before the storm, as if he were made of pure lightning.

Somewhere deep in her mind, something clicked. "Wait… are you…?"

The man looked hopeful, like he'd been waiting to be recognized. "She's wrong, you know. Well, not completely. It's true, time and darkness run through your very veins. But something else does as well—light. The very essence of the gods. You're strong, Miss Purpura, but you could be so much _more."_

Sera was blinking heavily now, as if coming out of a daze. "You're…?"

"There isn't much time. This very moment, Salem is coming to this room. She intends on wiping your memory once more. She thinks that she can brainwash you into doing her bidding. On behalf of Olympus, I cannot have that."

"But you're…"

"Yes, child. Now! Free yourself and escape!" His voice boomed like lightning.

"To where? It's not like I can—"

"Trust your instincts, child. Olympus is watching over you." And with that, he turned into a gust of wind and disappeared. A wisp of cold air went straight into her mouth, and suddenly, she shook her head and perked up. She felt like she'd just been doused with cold water. Suddenly, all her senses were on high alert.

Did that just happen? Sera thought. Had I just hallucinated a god? And not just any god…

Then she looked at her chained wrists. Well, he was right about one thing. It was time to blow this joint.

She concentrated on the cuffs that bound her hands. Shutting her eyes tightly, she imagined the chains being removed.

There was a loud _pop,_ and Sera opened her eyes to see the chains fall to the ground. The cuffs that bound her were smoking. Her wrists had momentarily turned pale, but were quickly returning to their usual color.

Then she grinned and yanked off the chains on her ankles. Thank the gods for my strength, she thought.

Sera immediately got to her feet and hurried to the door. Wrapping both hands around the handle, she tugged. No use. The lock was unrealistically resilient. She groaned and released the door. Then a lightbulb went off in her head.

Salem was on her way…

Sera immediately pressed her back against the wall behind the door and waited. It felt like a lifetime, but finally, the heavy door swung open. Salem stepped in, and Sera could only imagine the look on her face. But there was no time for that. She didn't know how long she'd be able to do this…

Sera inhaled sharply and squeezed her eyes shut. _STOP!_

Then all sounds immediately halted, and Sera opened her eyes and peeked around the door. Salem stood in front of where Sera had been bound, her fists clenched.

The huntress immediately dashed through the door and slammed it closed, bolting it fast.

She took off down the hallway while her semblance was still active. She counted in her head how long it took for time to resume and for Salem's scream of outrage to shake corridor. Ten seconds. Not bad, given her state, but as soon as she felt the familiar tug in her gut of her semblance ending, Sera immediately felt weaker.

She huffed and panted as she ran through the dark corridors. She had no idea where she was going, but anywhere is better than where Salem was.

Sere hung a left at the next intersection and ran for what she assumed was the center of the castle. She'd been thinking about an escape for days.

Salem's pawns had to have some sort of transportation to get around so quickly. They couldn't just walk to and from this castle all the time. No, there had to be some airships around. Of course, she had no idea how to pilot one, but one problem at a time.

She kicked open a set of large ornate doors and ran inside, slamming them behind her and leaning against one door for support.

Sera panted and slid down to a sitting position. Okay, she thought. Airships should be stored high up, so I just have to climb higher in the castle.

Then she picked her head up and gasped. She was in a giant chamber with large crystals providing light, a long black table with over a dozen seats, and a tall throne in the back of the room. The throne room.

Luckily, it was empty. Unluckily, it didn't stay that way for long.

Sera got to her feet and ran for the throne. There had to be some sort of weapon around she could use.

Where is my stuff? She thought. I know they stripped all my belongings when they brought me. Then she remembered her half of Ember Celica that Yang gave her. Oh, they _better_ not have gotten rid of it.

She angrily marched up the throne's staircase and inspected it.

"Wow, mom," she thought aloud. "Guess I didn't get my sense of style from you."

Then a horrible thought occurred to her. She remembered the dreams she'd had so long ago about a man with black hair and violet eyes, strung up in the _exact_ same manner that she was.

Perhaps it's from long ago, she tried to convince herself. Maybe that guy's long gone. He couldn't be my fa—

Then she heard the sound of glass shattering. Sera turned her head towards the source of the sound. A Gryphon had burst through a high window on the wall. It landed on the long black table and squawked at her.

Sera blinked as if she couldn't believe what had just happened. Then the Grimm launched itself at her, and she was forced to avoid it. She rolled to the side, slipping off the short staircase and falling to the floor. She landed in a kneeling position and immediately shot to her feet. The amnesiac sprinted towards the large double doors at the other end of the room.

Sure, she could've killed it no problem, but she couldn't waste her time to take out some lowly Grimm. Her mother was probably already free.

Sera dashed through the doors and ran down the hall towards where she hoped was the staircase. She passed many rooms, but one caught her attention. The door was open, and she cautiously stalked towards it.

She peeked her head around the corner. A gasp escaped her lips and her eyes widened at what she found. In a brightly lit room was a giant tapestry. On the tapestry was a family—several small children, a man with a kind expression that Sera found extremely familiar, and Salem. Except she looked different. Her hair was long and straight and went past her shoulders rather than being up in that odd design. Even her eyes looked kinder, with much less intensity and maliciousness.

Sera found herself staring at it. She couldn't tear her eyes away. But then something glinted in the candlelight, catching her eye.

Laying on a small table were two objects: a golden bracelet and a familiar leather belt with a holster on the side. Sera smiled at her good fortune and rushed inside the room, quickly putting her gun belt around her waist and Ember Celica on her wrist.

She wished she had her sword, but she'd have to make do. Sera drew Silver Linings and stepped out of the odd room, then continued on her way.

She had her belongings back.

. . .

Finally, she found a winding staircase. It took forever to climb, but at last she reached the top. She realized her mistake when she found herself on top of the tallest tower of the black castle. The night sky would've been pitch black if not for the shattered moon in the sky.

Sera hadn't meant to go _all the way_ to the top. She wanted to find an airship and get the hell out of here.

She quickly turned to go back down the stairs, but her blood ran cold when she saw a familiar pale woman blocking the entrance.

Salem smiled playfully at her, like Sera was some sort of amusing dog that barked for her or something. The amnesiac drew her revolver and took a step back.

"Going somewhere?" Salem leered.

"Oh, you know, just enjoying the night air. Figured I'd give you some time to yourself."

"Cute."

"I try," Sera shrugged.

"You have no idea what's really going on, do you?" Salem asked. The question caught Sera off guard. "What has Ozpin told you? That I'm the big _bad_ woman trying to wipe out the human race? That he's just the heroic headmaster who wants to save everyone? That he's done _nothing_ wrong?"

"Basically, yeah."

Salem smirked. "You have no idea." The witch was so busy talking that Sera didn't notice her walking slowly towards her. "Perhaps if you knew the _truth…"_ Then Salem pressed her cold index finger into Sera's forehead.

Sera gasped as her vision blackened. She saw a man in armor walking towards a tall castle, where a beautiful woman with blond hair and blue eyes sat in a chair, gazing at herself in the mirror. She was a sorceress—a magic user. The man rescued her, and they ran away together. They fell in love, but something tragic happened. The young man, Ozma, had died. Grief stricken, the beautiful woman, Salem, went to the garden of the Brother of Light. She demanded that he return her Ozma to her. He refused.  
Outraged, the woman then went to the Brother of Darkness's garden of, well, darkness. After a lot of boring stuff, Salem had raised an army to confront the Brothers. It failed. After coming to an agreement, they…they wiped out the entire human race, allowing them to start over. But they had cursed Salem with immortality, so that she may never see Ozma again in the afterlife. Somehow along the way, Salem had become what she is now—pale skin, red eyes, and everything else.

Years passed, but Salem found Ozma again, only… he wasn't exactly himself. He was sort of possessing someone else's body. Just like what Ozpin had told Sera with Oscar.

Salem and Ozma, aka Ozpin, got together again. They raised a family. Salem proposed an idea for world domination with Ozma, because they were the only magic users left. Ozma refused. Salem was outraged, like usual. She… she killed her own children, along with Ozma, but he simply moved to another body.

So on and so forth, here we are now—the present.

Salem removed her finger from Sera's forehead with a cold smile on her face. Sera was breathing heavily, trying to process what she had just seen. This…this was life changing. If not for the threat of imminent death, she probably would've crumpled to the ground and got in the fetal position.

"Well? What do you think now? Ozpin is evil. _Now_ do you see things from my perspec—"

"Yeah," Sera managed, her grip tightening on her firearm. "You're even crazier than I thought."

Salem scowled. "I should've wiped your mind again when I had the chance." She tried to grab Sera, but the huntress was too quick. She dashed out of the way and raised her gun.

Salem laughed at the gesture. "What are you gonna do with that? You just saw that I _cannot_ die."

"Yeah, but the way I see it, _mom,_ I bet a bullet to the head doesn't feel too great." Then she pulled the trigger. A Dust round entered the immortal's head, just above the right eye, and her head was thrown back by the force.

Taking that as her cue to leave, Sera fled down the winding stairs. Salem repositioned her head and sighed, the wound already closing. "Teenagers." She muttered, then disappeared in a flash of purple energy, transporting herself into the castle to intercept her daughter.

Sera was panicking as she descended the stairs, three at a time. Before she'd even made it halfway down, a loud ear-splitting sounded throughout the castle, like an air raid siren.

Great, she thought. More friends are coming. How am I gonna get myself out of this one?

Then she made it to the bottom. Her boots padded against the stone floor as she ran towards the throne room—the only direction she could go.

As soon as she made it to the large double doors that led into the throne room, a large Ursa appeared in her path. It seemed to melt out of the shadows, blocking the entire corridor with its massive body.

Sera was forced to duck inside the throne room when the Grimm swung its large paw at her. She hadn't realized her mistake at the time, but she certainly did now. Facing her from across the large room were the glowing eyes of Salem. The immortal lounged in her throne, her legs crossed and a smug smile on her face.

But wait! There's more!

Accompanying her were three people whom she greatly disliked: Tyrian the scorpion Faunus, Hazel the giant of a man, and Cinder Fall.

Sera gritted her teeth as she shut the large doors behind her. She glanced down at the revolver on her hip and cursed. If only she had her sword.

"Well," Sera announced. "This isn't the bathroom."

"Enjoy your little stroll through the castle?" Salem mused. Sera's eyes glanced between the four of them. Hazel stood with his tree-sized arms crossed, a passive expression on his face. Tyrian was watching her with a crazed grin, as if he was waiting for the huntress to perform or something. Cinder, well, her expression was a treat. She glared at Sera from across the room, her fists balled, and her jaw clenched.

"Oh, you know, not really. No. How do you not get lost in here? Everything looks the same!" Sera joked. She figured she'd better keep them talking while she formed a plan in her head.

From her newly "unlocked" memories, she remembered the tale of Icarus, who escaped an evil king by using a set of man-made wings to fly over the ocean. He had been warned by his father to not fly to high, or too low, or the wings would come apart. Naturally, the kid did just that. But Sera didn't have a set of wings to fly from this hell hole.

"You can still change your mind, you know," Salem regarded her with a stony expression. Cinder looked at her like she was crazy, but the Maiden quickly averted her eyes. Even with her new Maiden powers, she knew her place.

"Nah," Sera stated coolly and drew Silver Linings. "What fun is that?"

Hazel uncrossed his arms as if he were preparing to charge. Sera remembered how he fought in Haven—injecting himself with Dust to get a power boost. He stood up to Qrow with no problem. If Sera had to fight him, along with Tyrian _and_ Cinder, she'd be in trouble.

As if reading her mind, Salem stated, "You know you cannot win. Much better you submit to me."

Sera glanced at Cinder self-consciously. All that power, yet she still has to work under Salem? Sure, Salem was an all-powerful sorceress that can't die, but still. No, Sera refused to be another pawn that this queen could use.

The huntress smirked and spun Silver Linings on her finger as if she'd been doing it for years.

"I may not know much about this whole 'big picture' thing going on with you and Oz, but I do know one thing," Sera glared at Salem.

Salem quirked an eyebrow. "And what's that?"

"That you, are a _terrible_ mother," Sera stated. Salem sneered like she usually does at the young huntress before her. Then she looked lazily over to her subordinates, "Capture her. She can still be of use after the right… _conditioning._ "

Tyrian's tail flicked excitedly, and he cackled maniacally as bounded across the table towards Sera. Cinder's eye blazed with magic flames and she floated into the air, her palms glowing with energy. Hazel sighed and stalked towards the amnesiac, his shoulders squared, and his fists clenched.

Sera did the natural thing. She spun her weapon again and raised it in her signature fan-firing pose. "Now this is a party," She muttered, then squeezed the trigger rapidly. Six rounds flew at Tyrian, and all of them caught him the face. The Faunus lost his footing and slipped off the table, but he was unharmed. His aura took the brunt of the attack.

Sera was forced to dodge when a blast of red-hot flames shot towards her. She did jumped and twisted her body in midair, quickly dumping her weapon's cylinder and reloading it in the blink of an eye. The only thought that occurred was, _Man, I wish I didn't have to reload this thing so much. Maybe I can get Ozpin to work some of his mumbo jumbo to have an unlimited cylinder capacity."_

The huntress's boots thudded on the floor as she fired several rounds towards Cinder. The Maiden simply raised her hand and melted the Dust rounds with a wall of fire. Several small clumps of molten metal landed on the stone floor and hissed.

Hazel still hasn't joined the fight. He was rather passive, despite his large size and Yang-like tantrums when he sees a certain headmaster.

Sera evaded a stab from Tyrian's tail and countered, firing a few rounds into it for good measure. The bullets bounced harmlessly off of the appendage with dull _pings._

That's when the amnesiac remembered that Ruby had cut off his tail. Did he grow a new one or something?

Stealing a quick glance at the Faunus, she found her answer. The end of his tail was robotic, and metal sheets traveled up the length of it, resembling some creatures' natural armor.

Cinder blasted more fire towards her, and with nowhere else to go, Sera jumped off the wall, propelling herself up and over their heads, safely landing on the table.

Salem was watching with interest. As Sera fought, the immortal could make out a faint violet glow emanating from her eyes and the flower design tattoo on her arm. The amnesiac hasn't activated her "true" form yet. Maybe because she couldn't on command. Nevertheless, Salem continued to lounge in her throne and watch the ensuing fight.

Sera currently fighting off two opponents at once with a revolver. How? She didn't know. Her mind went on autopilot: kick, dodge, slam, evade, punch, repeat.

She was doing well despite not having her sword. She cursed herself for dropping it, but before she could scold herself too harshly, an exceptionally bright lightbulb flickered in her mind.

The amnesiac caught one of Tyrian's wrists and twisted, eliciting a pained grunt from the Faunus. Not wasting a breath, she slammed Tyrian into Cinder, causing her to stumble. Sera immediately thrust her fists forward, mimicking a familiar blonde that she had come to adore.

The one gauntlet of Ember Celica extended to its full length on her arm. The gold weapon glinted in the dim light, its red shotgun shells ready to fire.

Now would be a good time for that Queen song, Sera thought with a grin. Ah, never mind. I'll just sing it in my head.

 _Tonight, I'm gonna have myself a real good time._

Cinder and Tyrian recovered quickly. The Maiden sneered and shot into the air, her eye blazing dangerously. The Faunus scowled and launched himself at Sera.

 _I feel ali-i-i-i-ve-e-e._

Sera sidestepped Tyrian and brought her left fist up, blasting the Faunus upward with a loud gunshot from Ember Celica.

 _And the wo-o-o-rld, turn it inside out._

Tyrian nearly touched the ceiling, and at the arc of his flight, Cinder blasted more fire downward at Sera.

 _I'm floating around in ecstasty…_

Sera jumped into the air, coming face to face with Cinder. The Maiden looked surprise and furious.

 _So don't—stop-me—now._

Sera raised her fist and grinned.

 _Don't. Stop. Me. Now._

Cinder looked up in horror as Ember Celica stared her in the face.

 _Cause I'm having a good time._

Sera swung. Her fist connected with the Maiden's jaw. The gunshot blasted her backwards and into the foot of Salem's throne.

 _HAVING A GOOD TIME!_

The huntress landed on the table once more and was immediately tackled by Tyrian. The Faunus growled and tried to impale her with his new tail, but Sera was fast. In an instant, she was gone. She simply disappeared from Tyrian's grasp and was suddenly above him.

Oh, right, Tyrian thought. Semblance.

Sera kicked him the side so hard, he flew across the room and into the wall with a sickening _crunch._

Before she could appreciate her handiwork, a giant hand wrapped around her ankle and yanked her to the ground. Sera looked up to see the Hazel wrap a hand around her throat and lift her into the air.

He scowled and raised his large fist and scowled.

"You're a tough one," he grunted.

"Yeah, well," Sera replied as best as she could with this vice-grip of his crushing her windpipe. "Ozpin only trains the best."

That got a reaction. The giant man closed his fist around her throat tighter while his face contorted with rage at the mention of the Beacon headmaster.

Salem was about to step in and congratulate Hazel on capturing the amnesiac, but when she saw the look on his face, she chose to abstain for a moment.

"Don't. Even. _Mention._ Him," He growled.

Despite herself, Sera smirked. "Why? Too painful? After all, you're forgetting one, teensy weensy thing, Hazel."

"What's that?" he scowled.

"I'm her daughter," Sera pointed at Salem as her eyes transitioned to red, the whites of her eyes turning black as midnight. Cinder opened her mouth to warn him, but it was too late.

Sera kicked Hazel in the chest and sent him sprawling.

The bigger they are…, she thought with a smirk.

The huntress landed on one knee and rose to her full height. No one moved, all eyes were on her. The only sound was of Salem laughing. She even began to talk, most likely gloating somehow, but Sera didn't care.

She had only felt this once before. A sense of sheer _power_ washed over her. Back at Beacon and in her cell, she was too distracted by her emotions to notice. She hadn't even _fully_ noticed it in the fight against Cinder and Raven. But now, she could see what everyone was talking about. She had power running through her veins. The power of the old gods, of Salem and the King of the Titans.

Sera raised her palms to inspect her hands. Black veins mapped her arms, but now she could see a faint purple aura emanating from her body. It flickered and moved down her limbs like the waves of the ocean.

She raised her head and glared at Salem, who was grinning triumphantly down at her.

"Now, you see," the immortal told her. "The power you've been given. Use it as you're supposed to; take back our world."

Sera glanced down. If her mother thought that this little 'event' was going to change her mind, well, she had another thing coming. She raised her revolver, purple aura flowing over the weapon. And she aimed it directly at Salem.

The woman's smile faded. Then her expression turned to rage. "Still denying your destiny, eh? Cinder—incapacitate her."

Sera turned her head to look at the Fall Maiden, but she looked a little nervous. The flame over her eye dissipated and she was standing with both arms hung at her sides.

"Um, r-right," she muttered. Then the flames returned. Sera smirked at her, and the red-hot flames flickered slightly.

"You were right," Sera's voice startled her. It sounded colder and crueler than normal. She thought it was the power she was using, but maybe this feeling of cruel superiority had been within her all along, and that thought alone almost scared her enough to end this "true form".

Cinder faltered, as if she was wondering what Sera was talking about.

"I don't deserve this power. But now, I'm going to prove _why_ it was a bad idea for you in the first place," Sera stated, then everything around her came to a silent halt. The huntress strolled up the stairs to Salem's throne. She regarded the pale woman before her, her own glowing red eyes boring into Salem's.

Then she raised her fist and swung.

The thing that happened next was rather unexpected. As soon as her fist came into contact with her mother's jaw, there was a purple spark where she connected, and an explosion sent her flying into the opposite side of the room.

The jolt was enough to shock her out of using her semblance, and everything moved again.

Sera groaned as she dug herself out of the crater she'd just created in the wall and fell to her hands and knees. Salem's sinister laughter was the next thing she heard.

But how? Sera thought to herself, nothing can attack me when I use my semblance!

She looked up to see that Cinder, Tyrian and Hazel were forming a loose semicircle around her.

"Now that _that's_ taken care of," Salem announced in a triumphant tone. "Take her back to her cell until she decides to change her mind."

Sera spat a mixture of blood and saliva on the floor and glared at her assailants. Then, in a commanding and serious voice that she barely recognized as her own, she stated, rising to one knee, "You'll never get the chance." Then the amnesiac thrusted her arm forward, readying Ember Celica once more. "I'll take you all on!"

She rushed forward and grabbed Tyrian by the ponytail, throwing his head back and slamming her leg into him. In her head, an epic symphony was playing at her bold statement. The cool kind of music, like when the main character of a movie is doing some badass stuff. (Aka what played during _Transformer: Revenge of the Fallen_ when Optimus Prime fought several Decepticons at once, despite being outnumbered.)

Sera then fired her gauntlet into Cinder and blasted her back. But before she could get too far away, the huntress grabbed her ankle and pulled her back, then slammed her fist downward. Cinder hit the ground so hard, cracks spread from where she landed. The Maiden's aura visibly flickered.

Not wasting a beat, Sera spun around and caught Hazel's fist. A blast of wind blew from where they connected, and a look of surprise was on his face. Sera smirked, her red eyes glowing in the dim light, and she twisted his wrist.

Hazel winced and brought down his free hand. At the same time, Tyrian was charging Sera from behind. The amnesiac ducked under Hazel's attack and spun, sending his giant body into the ground. She narrowly avoided the strike from Tyrian's tail, which impaled itself into the nearest wall.

Sera jumped straight up, bringing her knee right into the Faunus's chest. His face contorted in a mix of pain and surprise as his body was once again sent towards the roof.

Sera was feeling pretty proud of herself, but then a giant white-hot inferno consumed her entirely.

The heat was unbearable, and the only thing she could see was the flames directly in front of her eyes.

Fortunately, her aura absorbed most of it. Unfortunately, before she could even process what had happened, something hit her in the side with the force of a train.

Sera flew directly into the wall thirty feet behind her, creating another huntress-sized crater in the stone.

She lay in the stone spread eagled, her body shallowly embedded in the wall. Sera looked up to see Cinder with a smirk on her face and Hazel rolling his shoulders. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the giant man had slammed into her while she was distracted by Cinder's flames. Tyrian promptly fell from the sky and slammed into the table, effectively causing a large ugly crack on the top.

"Ugh…" Sera groaned as she climbed out of the not-so-comfortable wall. "Can you people stop sending me into walls? It's giving me a headache. Plus, I get enough of that from sparring with Nora."

"What do you mean ' _you people'_?" Tyrian asked pointedly. Sera blinked. Was he seriously trying to call her out as some sort of Faunus hater?

Sera's boots thudded lightly on the floor, but she immediately had to lean onto the wall for support. Her chest heaved and her vision was fuzzy. Had that hit really did that much to her? Or maybe, Sera gulped at the realization. Maybe using this form was too strenuous on her body. She couldn't use it for long with out tiring out.

Pushing that thought aside, the amnesiac drew Silver Linings and readied her half of Ember Celica.

"Well, that was quite the show," Salem said. She was approaching Cinder from behind, momentarily putting a pale hand on the Maiden's shoulder. "But I think it's time to end this, don't you? There's no point in resisting. I'll get what I want in the end," her glowing red eyes twinkled. "I always do."

Sera clenched her jaw momentarily, then as soon as she opened her mouth to speak, a black and red oval of energy appeared from behind her, and an arm stuck out of it, wrapped around her torso, then pulled her in.

The portal disappeared as quickly as it had shown up.


	11. I'm Still Standing

Sera had no idea what happened. One second, she was facing down her mother, ready to fight and die. The next, she was being pulled through some red vortex and into a completely different location.

On top of that, she blacked out as soon as she passed through. She didn't know why. Maybe the strain of using her powers had gotten to her. Maybe the trip wasn't as pleasant as it seemed. Maybe someone whopped her over the head with a frying pan.

Nevertheless, the end results were the same.

She passed in and out of consciousness for the longest time. She did know that she was comfortable, though. The huntress was shacked up in a big comfy bed with soft pillows and thick blankets. One time when she was awake, she was being spoon fed some sort of food. Oatmeal, maybe? Another time, a cool rag was being pressed to her brow.

Thankfully, she had no dreams when she was asleep. Well, except for one, but it was so odd that it couldn't have been real.

She had stood in a giant room with twelve large chairs arranged against the wall in a ' _U'._

The same man who'd 'visited' her in her cell sat in the center of them. Except he was giant, easily twenty feet tall. A man who looked just like him sat to his left, except he had sea green eyes and held a large trident that glowed with power in one hand.

The rest of them seemed to be bickering. A muscular man with close-cropped hair was pointing a sword at a woman with dark wavy hair and startling gray eyes. She radiated intelligence, and despite the angry man with a sword, she was rather calm.

The lead guy who'd visited Sera was looking her directly in the eyes, as if he knew she were there. The man with the trident looked where he was staring, and his eyes widened. The man in the center mouthed one word, _'Go.'_

Sera sat bolt upright in the bed. Sweat beaded her forehead and she was breathing heavily. After collecting her thoughts of what she'd just seen, she glanced around the room, to find that it wasn't really a room.

She appeared to be inside of a tent. An extremely _nice_ tent, but a tent, nonetheless. She also noticed that no one else was in the room.

Sera groaned and clutched her head. She could _feel_ her heartbeat pulsating in her brain.

Before the huntress could even attempt to stand, someone pushed aside a sheet that covered the doorway and stepped in.

Sera's breath hitched. At first, she thought it was Yang. She had the exact same face, figure, and hairstyle. Except she recognized this woman, and it was definitely not Yang. She had black hair, red eyes, and clothes to match those two colors.

Raven Branwen.

Sera jumped out of bed and got into a fighting stance. She didn't care if the world was spinning around her and that she felt like blacking out again, she had a bone to pick with this woman.

Raven regarded her with cold eyes. "I wouldn't."

"And why's that?" Sera scowled.

"You're naked."

Sera's face blanked and her eyes slowly glanced downward in horror. Thankfully, Raven was only half-right. She wasn't naked, but the only thing she had on were a pair of black shorts and a sports bra.

Sera sighed and relaxed her stance. "Don't _do_ that."

Raven cracked a smile, "Sorry. Figured it'd distract you. It worked."

"Yeah, yeah." Sera grumbled. She looked around for her clothes, but none were there.

"I've got some you can wear," Raven offered. Sera shot a glare at her.

"Thanks, but I'd rather not accept anything from _you."_

Raven crossed her arms. "Aren't you wondering how you got here?"

"Yeah," Sera deadpanned. "It doesn't make sense. Qrow told me that you can only teleport to people you, like, 'create a link' with. You've got one for Tai, Yang, and Qrow."

Raven shrugged. "True. But when I knew you were going to go down with Cinder, I made one for you."

Sera hesitated, glancing down at her hands. Thankfully, her skin was its normal color. No paleness or black veins.

"Why?" Sera asked. Her voice cracked slightly, and she hoped that Raven hadn't noticed.

Raven smiled dryly. "Well, it wouldn't do to have my daughter's friend dying at the hands of Salem, now would it?"

Something clicked in Sera's head. "You did it to earn Yang's favor. You didn't care if I died or not."

The Branwen shrugged half-heartedly. "Partly. Plus, I know things. About you, for instance. Sera's expression must've been amusing, because Raven's smile widened. "Slayer of the Demon Minotaur? Amnesiac with a clouded past? Plus," Raven's expression turned serious. "Daughter of Salem."

"Yeah, well, that's old news," Sera shrugged. "But I hate her just as much as you do."

"And why should I believe that?"

"Because if you had the good sense to look before sticking your arm out of a portal, you'd have seen that I was _fighting_ her when you yanked me out." Sera glared at her. Raven's expression relaxed.

"You're right. Just needed to see what you'd say."

"Why's that?" Sera asked, genuinely curious.

Raven smirked, "To see what kind of person you are. Personality, morals…flaws."

The amnesiac shrugged, "It won't take long for you to figure it out."

Then Raven surprised Sera. She laughed. "I'm sure it won't. Come on. Let's get you sorted out." The Branwen gestured behind her and left the room. Having no reason not to, Sera followed.

After the amnesiac changed into a pair of well-worn jeans and a clean white tank top (hey, it was better than the alternative. At first, Raven offered up an outfit that matched what she wore exactly. Her own clothes, no doubt), the two of them approached the front of the tent. Raven moved aside a wall of cloth, and sunlight streamed through the opening. They stepped out into a wide clearing, trees surrounding the perimeter. It was clear that they hadn't been there long. Boxes of equipment were overflowing, unpacked. The grass they stood on was pushed down from all the walking people had been doing on it, which seemed to be a lot. A group of men were putting up spiked trees with the branches removed, forming a giant wall around the circle of tents.

"Welcome to my neck of the woods," Raven told her.

Sera looked over at her with a quizzical expression. "Where are we?"

She shrugged in response. "Not far from Mistral. Had to relocate after Cinder found our old spot."

"And that's when you formed the pact with her to attack us," Sera guessed. Raven seemed to wince at the words.

"It was the only way to protect my family," she said, gesturing to the dozens of bandits around them.

"Protecting your family by attacking your family? Good job, seriously." Sera rolled her eyes.

"And why should I have anything to do with _them?_ If they cared, they would've shown it before they left." Raven spat.

"They _tried,_ " Sera shot back, remembering countless things Qrow had told her about his family. " _You_ pushed them away and ran. Ran from your family, your home, your responsibilities—"

"You don't know what it's like," Raven shot back, looking at her own hands. "Having all this power, and people expecting you to save the world because you have a _'duty'."_

Sera blinked. " _I_ don't know what it's like? Well, maybe not as much as you, but I know enough. You seem to forget exactly how I got here." Sera waved her arms around her, gesturing at the camp.

Raven seemed to consider this. "You have a point."

"Yeah, I do!" Sera glared at her. "Do you even know how long your daughter has been looking for you? Do you even _care?"_

They were attracting attention now. Bandits around the two were walking over from what they were doing to spectate.

Raven looked around uncomfortably at her subordinates, then said to Sera in a low and icy tone, "As a matter of fact, I _do_ know. And I do care—"

"If you cared, you wouldn't have hidden from her and kept running away. The world needs the Spring Maiden, you know."

More bandits joined their allies to watch the altercation. They were mesmerized. It was like watching two lightning storms standing off against each other. But the question was, which storm would overcome the other?

"What do you expect me to do? Come running to Ozpin's aid like a good student? No. I'm done doing that," Raven gritted her teeth. She looked so much like Yang, it was scary. But Sera was getting mad at the bandit leader. She had the _audacity_ to try and play innocent, like she had no part in all of this? First, she fought _with_ Cinder. Sure, she fought her in the Spring Maiden chamber in a weird magic sword duel, but she still fought Sera even then when she made the overly smart decision to jump into the middle of it. Second, she was the one who _sent_ Sera into the abyss with Cinder. It may have been an accident and unintentional, but still. And now she was standing here, acting like she was completely justified.

"I expect you to be a decent person and _help,"_ Sera told her. But even saying it, she knew it was a dumb suggestion. Sera scoffed, "Who am I kidding? You're just going to run again with your precious _family_ of low lives and thieves." Her eyes scanned the crowd. They didn't take kindly to being insulted, but the look in Sera's eyes was enough to make them stand down. At least for now.

"And for the record, Yang is nothing like you, and I'm glad she isn't. Maybe it wasn't entirely a bad idea for you to leave," Sera turned away from her. But something felt off. The air around her grew denser and filled with tension. She looked over her shoulder to see Raven, her eyes blazing with blue fire.

 _Uh-oh._

The Spring Maiden looked like she was about to call upon her freaky magic powers and dice Sera into pieces, but instead she took a deep breath, and the flames died down. "You're right."

Sera blinked. "I am? I mean… Of course, I am!" She tried to play it off, but the threat of fighting Raven scared her. She'd seen her fight Cinder, and the amnesiac was not eager to be her next victim.

"You can stay here, if you like. The tribe could use a warrior like you," Raven offered. Her voice sounded pained, but Sera couldn't figure out why she was offering this now, of all times.

Before Sera could respond, Raven turned and trudged back into her large tent. The crowd parted and allowed her to pass unopposed. Then all their eyes were back on Sera. She blinked a few times, then in the same voice she'd used on Salem's minions just before Raven rescued her, she told them, "What're you staring at? Get outta here!"

Some of the bandits yelped and rushed off, others managed to squeak, "Yes ma'am" and do the same.

When she was alone in the clearing, Sera sighed and ran her fingers through her white hair. "The hell am I supposed to do?"

. . .

Sera went back into Raven's tent. It's not exactly like she had anywhere else to go. The bandit leader still had her stuff.

The amnesiac pushed aside the "door" to see Raven sitting at a low table, Mistralian style. She held a ceramic cup of steaming tea with two hands, her black hair shining in the light.

"You're right," she said, not even bothering to look at her. "About it all. I regret not staying to watch Yang grow, but…I'm not built for that kind of life. Tai knew it, Qrow knows it, but look where it got me." She then gestured to the tent around her. "Being the very thing I swore to fight against."

"Your reasons aren't _entirely_ unjustified," Sera managed, still standing at the entrance.

"No?"

"Well, don't get me wrong, you're still a bad mom."

"True."

"But I mean, like you said, being a mom just isn't you. I've known you for like, twenty minutes, and I can tell." Sera shoved her hands into her pockets.

"Yang wouldn't forgive me," Raven sipped her tea.

"Nor should she," Sera countered. "But you could at least _try_ to be better. Leading a bunch of bandits? Come on."

"They're lost, and they've sought refuge in me. These _bandits_ are the closest things I've had to family in years. Besides, they're not so bad once you get used to the smell."

Sera couldn't help but crack a smile. Maybe she and Yang _were_ alike in some ways. "You should talk to her. It's the least you could do."

She set down her tea and stood, turning to face the young huntress. "Maybe you're right. But now isn't the time. It's too soon from…well, you know."

"Good point," Sera nodded. "By the way, totally would've kicked your butt in front of all your friends."

Raven smirked. "Yang has an interesting taste in companions."

"Yeah, well, not like I had any competition," Sera grinned. Raven scoffed and shook her head.

"What you did back in Haven was impressive, but I doubt those powers of yours can take on a Maiden that _actually_ knows what she's doing."

Sera shuddered slightly. She had a point. Cinder was still basically new at this, and Raven had had years to play with her powers. But the amnesiac couldn't let her know that she got to her.

"In your dreams, old lady. Did you _see_ what I was doing when you kidnapped me?" Sera smirked.

"Yes. You were about to be overwhelmed. Had I not interfered, you'd probably be locked up so tight you couldn't breathe right."

Sera sighed, "You're no fun."

Raven smiled warmly, which surprised Sera immensely. She figured Raven had two moods: bitch and mega bitch.

"Would you like some breakfast before being canonized?"

"Now that you mention it, I am kinda hungr—wait, what now?"

Raven smiled again, creeping Sera out even further. "Come, sit."

Sera sat at the low table, her legs crisscrossed while she waited for Raven to return. She didn't know what this "canonizing" this was, but it didn't sound promising.

Within a minute, the black-haired woman sat a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon in front of Sera. She was genuinely surprised that food like this could be made in a tent. Then again, you could make bacon and eggs over a campfire if you had just an iron skillet.

Sera didn't waste a breath. She didn't know how long she'd been asleep, but she was _hungry._ The bacon and eggs didn't stand a chance. In between bites, she looked warily at Raven, who was sitting across from her.

"Why'd you wait so long to pop in and get me?"

She seemed surprised by the question. "Honestly, I didn't know I _wanted_ to get you until then."

"What made you decide?" Sera set down her fork.

Raven regarded her with curious eyes and sighed. "I thought…well, I thought you could be Vernal's replacement."

Sera nearly spewed eggs all over the table. Vernal was the short-haired chick that accompanied Raven to Mistral. Sera remembered seeing her body in the Vault. After regaining her composure, she stared coldly at the woman across from her. "What makes you think I'm going to stay here? I'm going to find Qrow and the others as soon as I'm ready."

"And where are they? Do you even know?" Raven shot back. Sera grinned at her, "Did you really think I forgot about your semblance so soon? You're going to take me to them."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because you've got nothing better to do, and no reason to hold me captive." Sera replied without hesitation.

"I could give you back to Salem," Raven threatened, her fist clenched.

"Yeah, that'll go swimmingly. 'Here's the girl I just stole from you. Oops. Hope there's no hard feelings'."

Raven sighed. "You're right. But I _need_ a new right hand—"

So did your daughter, Sera thought, both amused and saddened. She really did hate her twisted sense of humor.

"—and I'd rather it be you."

"Why not get one of your already 'family members' to do it?" Sera wondered. Raven scoffed, "None of them are competent enough. To be honest, they're a bunch of idiots. But you—you could have a new life. Free from the hardships that come with accompanying Ozpin and Qrow. You could stay here, helping the tribe and making a name for yourself." Raven stared directly into her eyes.

Just for a microsecond, Sera was tempted. But instead, she sighed. "I'm not going to run from my responsibilities, like someone I know," She aimed that last part at Raven. "Besides, my friends probably miss having all my snark and sarcasm around."

"They think you're dead," Raven stated coolly. In response, Sera's mouth hung open and here eyes were wide.

"They _what?!"_ She demanded.

"That fall should've killed you _and_ Cinder. Yet here you are. And only one of them refused to believe you're dead." She sipped tea from a cup.

Yang? Maybe. It'd make sense. But then again, if only _one_ of them doesn't believe it, then there's really one choice.

"Ruby," Sera guessed. Raven nodded. "They'd still be searching for you if she had her way."

"Where are they?"

"I don't know. I didn't stick around long after Yang took the relic from the vault." She sighed. Sera decided to keep her dreams about them to herself.

"So, what now?" Sera asked.

"Now? I don't know. If you're serious about leaving, then you can go whenever you like. I wouldn't leave right away, if I were you. At least not until you're at full strength."

Sera studied her for a moment. "You really won't take me to them with your semblance?"

Raven smiled as if she knew something that Sera didn't. "How would Qrow and Yang react to you staying with me for a while?"

"Not very well, likely," Sera responded.

"Exactly. No, you have to make your own way to find them," Raven stood and set her tea down.

"But I don't even know where they are!" Sera complained. The bandit leader shrugged. "Not my problem."

"I can see why they like you so much," Sera grumbled. If Raven heard her, she didn't show it.

"Come on. If you're going to stay here, you're going to prove your worth. Everyone has to make themselves useful while staying here." Raven made her way towards the tent entrance.

"Great," Sera sighed and stood. "Can't wait to see what being 'canonized' means."

. . .

Less than two minutes later, Sera was standing in the center of a hastily made circle of bandits ready to attack her. Sera glared at all of them, her stance poised to defend herself at a moment's notice.

Whenever she and Raven left the tent, the conversation went something like this:

Sera: _"So, what's it meant to be 'canonized'?"_

Raven then cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, _"We got a newbie!"_

Immediately, everyone in the camp excitedly hurried over to surround the huntress while Raven smirked and leapt to the top of a lookout tower. She'd also donned her strange Grimm mask that she was so fond of.

The bandits' faces were a mix of excitement and nervousness. Many of them looked pretty tough, given their brutal faces scarred bodies. But some wavered whenever Sera turned her death stare in their direction.

She wished she'd had a weapon. It'd make being swarmed a little easier. The huntress had also gathered that being "canonized" meant being beat up by a bunch of smelly, gross bandits.

At first, she was rather calm and collected. But then she noticed some of the looks that they were giving her. A few guys and even girls in the crowd wolf whistled at while others cat called, saying some pretty inappropriate things. Sera wasn't surprised by the warm welcome, given this entire situation, but it still pissed her off.

Raven called from atop her tower, "If you are to survive within the tribe, you are to prove that you can join the tribe."

I don't even want to join the tribe, Sera thought, I just want to deck you in the nose and leave.

The bandits then began to unsheathe and ready some rather nasty looking weapons. Some were so incredibly basically designed that Sera had to stifle her laughter. She thought, I mean, a pistol with a blade taped to the hilt? Seriously?

"Don't I get a weapon?" Sera called up to Raven. She couldn't see it, but she was sure that Raven was grinning behind her mask.

"I'll take that as a 'no'," Sera grumbled.

The crowd began to close in slowly, and Sera backed away from them. It wouldn't do much good, since she was surrounded, but she went back far enough to bump into some large wooden barrels laying on their side with spigots attached to the ends.

In a desperate attempt, Sera grabbed a large wooden mug and held it aloft, "Can't we settle this over a pint?"

The bandits were unimpressed and continued to close in with eager grins on their ugly faces.

"No?" Sera asked. "Well, all right then!"

She then slammed the mug into the spigot on the nearest barrel, breaking it off and cracking the barrel open, but nothing happened. It was empty.

"Huh," Sera muttered. "Thought something cool would happen." Then she turned her attention back to the bandits. They were within spitting distance.

In a flash of sheer brilliance, she thought of the perfect catchphrase.

"Drinks are on me!" she chucked the mug at them and caught one unlucky guy with long blond hair and blue eyes in the nose. The huntress also spotted a gap in his teeth, as if one of them were punched out of his jaw. She hoped that the mug had caused it, but she knew better. He'd been missing a tooth long before she showed up with a wooden death mug.

Then every one of them rushed the huntress.

Sera was worried about the sheer number of them, but when she slammed her foot into the nearest person and sent them flying back and knocking over several others like bowling pins, she felt a little better about herself.

The first problem: as soon as she did that, black spots clouded her vision and she felt lightheaded.

The second problem: there were a lot of them for one unarmed girl to handle.

On reflex, Sera countered the kick that was coming her way and sent the guy flying. She considered breaking it, but she wasn't _that_ mean. Plus, his aura probably would've prevented it.

The amnesiac quickly had to get into a sort of groove: kicking, blocking, dodging, punching, and redirecting their attacks so that they hit each other rather than her.

She felt like a total badass with how she was handling herself, but every now and again, she'd feel the dull pain of being hit in the limbs, chest, or back.

After slamming a girl in the gut with her elbow and rolling over her back after the bandit bent over, Sera snatched the rusty sword out of someone's hand and smacked a guy in the head. Upon impact, the sword snapped in two, but the guy still crumpled to the ground.

Their auras must've been extremely weak, or non-existent, because she was taking these bandits down about as easily as she would Beowolves.

One girl got brave. She smacked Sera in the back of the head with a leather-bound shield and laughed.

The huntress dropped the guy she was about to throw across the camp and turned to her. The girl's face paled, and in an instant, Sera snatched the shield out of her hands and bonked her over the head.

Despite their rude behavior and obvious bloodlust for no apparent reason, Sera tried to _not_ hurt them too badly. Maybe she felt bad for them, or maybe—gods forbid—she was becoming a better person.

It didn't take too long to fight through the crowd. Within ten minutes, over two dozen groaning bodies lay on the ground with Sera standing in the center of them. She was breathing heavily, and her fists were clenched. It may have been her imagination, but she thought she saw the purple tattoos on her right shoulder glowing faintly. It stopped before she could take a closer look.

The sound of hands clapping came from above her. She looked up to see that it was Raven, but her mask was removed now.

"Bravo," She complimented. "I don't think anyone's taken down so many of my tribe so quickly."

"Yeah, well, maybe a little more combat training and less time looting and pillaging," Sera deadpanned as she gazed at the bandits getting to their feet. Raven hopped down from her watch tower with a smirk on her lips. Her Grimm mask was tucked under one arm.

"Well," she studied Sera's face critically. "That was fun."

Sera scowled. Her knuckles were white from clenching them so tightly. "Y'know, I should punch you in the jaw."

Raven allowed a small smile to show. Again, it struck Sera just how much this woman looked like Yang.

"Welcome to the family."

Sera's eyes narrowed. "So, then I can leave?"

Raven shrugged, "Gate's right there. But if you had half a brain, you'd stay until you're strong enough."

The amnesiac wanted to argue, but she knew this woman was right. Even now, she could feel herself giving out. It took all she had to stay on her feet. Had using her "true form" really taken that much out of her? Side note: she'd have to come up with a better name for it than that.

"Well," Sera tried not to look like she knew Raven was right. "I might stick around for a while longer."

Raven smirked and waved her hand, gesturing for the huntress to follow. They returned to the large lead tent and ducked inside. Seems like Raven would rather be isolated in her tent than be out with her "family."

The bandit leader sat on the floor by the same table as before, and Sera followed her example. She was glad to be off her feet.

Sera leaned forward onto the table for support, trying not to let it show that she was tired. It didn't seem to work.

Finally, Raven said, "Just who are you?"

The question took Sera by surprise. She didn't know what to say. Hell, she hardly knew the answer herself.

"What do you mean?"

Raven absently picked at a napkin. "I mean, who _are_ you? You're the child of Salem. My question: why? What is the purpose? She isn't exactly one to just, well, you know."

Sera's face flushed and she averted her gaze to the tabletop. She was reminded of Salem's cold words in that cell. That her true "purpose" in life was supposedly to take over the world alongside her mother. All that stuff about old gods, plus her most recent dream about twelve being sitting around in a sort of council… it was too surreal. She didn't know what to make of it.

"I don't know," Sera answered.

"Don't know, or won't say?" Raven asked. She had a strangely calm tone to her voice.

"Both, really," Sera looked up to meet her crimson eyes.

Raven nodded like she understood. "Well, why don't you tell me what you _do_ know?"

Sera's eyes narrowed as she studied the woman's face. "Why?"

"I want to help."

Sera snorted, "What for? You've done a fantastic job 'helping' everyone else."

The Spring Maiden lowered her gaze, and for a second, Sera felt bad about saying what she did.

"Believe it or not, I know what it's like to feel useless and alone after learning about having great power. Too much power. It's hard, but it's easier when someone's there to help you along."

She sounded truthful, bitter, and sad. Sera studied Raven's face even closer, searching for any hint that she was trying to deceive her. There were none.

With a sigh, Sera looked down at her hands, and tightened them into fists.

"Ever heard of the Greeks?"


	12. Shoot to Thrill

That was the ancient civilization's name: Greece. An entire country filled with history and death. Long before the time of huntsmen and huntresses. Something told Sera that the Grimm hadn't even existed yet. Thousands of years of the human race being ruled by the Titans, then the gods of Olympus. The knowledge fitted into Sera's mind like she'd suddenly regained a part of herself. She _knew_ this history, even if everyone else has forgotten.

Long ago, there were the two Brothers. The Brother of Creation, and the Brother of Destruction. Two more beings were born of Creation: Ouranos and Gaea, the sky and Remnant itself. Although, back then it wasn't called Remnant, was it? No, in Ancient Greek, "Gaea" translated to the word "earth."

Mother Earth and Father Sky had children of their own: The Titans. Cronus, or Kronos, was the eldest. The Lord of Time. For some strange reason, Gaea convinced her children to kill their father and cut him up with his own scythe. Much later, Cronus and his wife Rhea birthed the gods. Cronus, being the sicko he was and knowing that the gods would overthrow him, ate his children. Rhea hated that. She hid little Zeus away and tricked the Titan lord into eating a rock instead. Big dummie, right?

Then Zeus went on to trick his father into throwing up the other gods who, being immortal, had lived and grown within their father's bowels. Then, the Titan War. Gods versus Titans in an all-out battle of the immortals. The gods won. The Olympians ruled the human race, namely the ones in Greece, as that was where their home, Olympus, resided.

And for some reason…they vanished. But Sera now knew why. Salem had shown her. The Brothers gave the human race a hard reset, and the Olympians fled. To where, she did not know. But from what her dream had suggested, it appeared they were on Olympus.

Zeus had appeared to Sera in Salem's castle. She was convinced it was him. From his regal appearance and the way his presence felt, she knew it had to be true.

But why? Sera was supposedly the last descendant of Cronus, his sworn enemy. Perhaps the sky god felt that Sera could be of use to him. She didn't know, but she intended on finding out.

Sera set down the cup of tea she'd been drinking and looked up to meet Raven's eyes. The Maiden looked rather shocked, as if the entire planet had been swept from underneath her.

"That's…unheard of. Are you sure you're not just making this up?"

"Believe me, I lack the creativity to come up with this kind of mess. All these names and stories in my head… they're real."

"But… How? If there were ancient gods who ruled over a civilization, we'd know it." Raven blinked.

Sera chuckled. "I think the Brothers would've gone to extreme lengths to make _sure_ they were forgotten."

"For what purpose?"

Sera shrugged. "Maybe the Brother of Creation regretted being held responsible for all that's happened because of them. I know I would."

Raven rubbed her chin. "Perhaps. But it's still far-fetched. Where have the monsters of that time gone? They wouldn't just disappear."

Sera smiled. "They didn't. They _adapted._ Reborn anew. We fight them today."

"You don't mean…?"

The huntress shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe the Grimm have just took on their forms and such. I, for one, have killed two that resemble older monsters. You know of one. The Minotaur Grimm," Sera said and picked up her cup. "And a Hydra."

Raven held the sides of her head. "This is too much. How are you handling all this so well?"

Sera shrugged again. "I have a feeling I've had a long time to accept it. I still don't remember anything from my past, but… I know that I grew up with all these stories, somehow. Someone must've been, I dunno, preparing me? It's the only logical conclusion I can think of."

Raven nodded. "It all fits, though. Maybe…maybe you _are_ meant to retake the world for the god and Titans."

Sera slammed her fist onto the table, causing a crack to erupt underneath it. " _No._ I refuse to be some tool for something like this. This is _my_ life, and I'll do what I damn well please with it."

Raven looked rather shocked by Sera's flare of anger. The look in the amnesiac's eyes was downright livid.

"Well, all right then," Raven said. She didn't know what to make of the girl before her. And deep down inside, she was kind of scared of her.

Sera crossed her arms and glared at the table like everything was its fault. "I hate this. This feeling, like—"

"Like you have the whole weight of the world on your shoulders and everyone expects you to do what _they_ want you to do, rather than what _you_ want to do?" Raven asked.

The amnesiac picked her head up, her expression softening. "Exactly that."

Raven smirked and brought a cup of tea to her lips. "You get used to it. But you're right. It's _your_ life. Do what you want with it, and don't let others dictate how you live."

Sera met her eyes with a curious gleam in her eyes. "Is that the real reason you ran away? Because you hated that people were telling you what to do with your life?"

Well, you're the Spring Maiden, and you have responsibilities to the people of this world, Sera thought.

Raven twirled a finger on the tabletop. "You're not far off, actually. I just wanted to live _my_ life. I didn't want this…power. These responsibilities. But when they became mine, Ozpin and Qrow were _very_ fast to boss me around. So I left."

"Still, that was a pretty harsh call," Sera noted. For a minute, she thought she'd made a mistake. Raven's eyes brightened and she clenched her fists. After a heartbeat, she sighed and uncurled her fingers.

"You're right. But it's too late for apologies. I'm not exactly welcome anymore, am I?"

"Maybe you could fix that," Sera suggested.

Raven narrowed her eyes at the huntress. "What do you mean?"

"Give up this…this _life and_ go back to Tai and Yang. Apologize. Make amends. You could help us in the fight against Salem." The words flowed from Sera. She was sure that this woman could be accepted again by huntsmen and huntresses, even if she was a renown criminal now.

Raven looked rather blindsided, and even tempted. Sera hoped that she'd accept, but she probably should've known better. Raven sighed and shook her head.

"No, that's not going to happen. Even if I _did_ apologize to them, Yang wouldn't accept it. Not after what I told her before."

Sera's shoulders slumped, but she should've known better. Part of her just wanted a Maiden on her side. Another part wanted Yang and Tai to have closure. They of all people deserved it.

"Fine," Sera sighed and leaned onto the table. Raven raised an eyebrow in response.

"You're not going to argue?"

"What's the point? You're probably even more stubborn than Yang is."

Raven gave a small smile. "You're probably right." Then Sera stood and shoved her hands into her pockets.

"I'm going to rest for a while. That little stunt you pulled earlier wasn't exactly the best idea for me," Sera turned to head towards her assigned bed. Raven considered saying something but thought better of it.

. . .

The next two days flew by relatively quickly. Sera did absolutely nothing but walk around the camp or help out with menial tasks where she could. The bandits typically avoided her, which was fine by Sera.

She was beginning to feel more like herself as well. She could go a while without having to sit down or lean onto something to rest. She typically didn't see Raven too much, which was also okay with her, but it'd be nice to have a familiar face around.

Sera didn't know what to make of the Spring Maiden. On one hand, she didn't deserve to have anything to do with Yang anymore. She lost that opportunity whenever she left. But on the other, she was kind enough to allow Sera to stay and recuperate. Then again, the only reason she did that was because she wanted to _recruit_ her.

It was on the third night that Sera became restless in her sleep.

Images of Sera's enemies flashed through her mind. She hated every second of enduring her dreams. She was forced to sit and watch as images of Salem, Cinder, Tyrian, Hazel, Adam, and all sorts of Grimm played in her head.

After a particularly vivid replaying of watching her fight against Cinder on Beacon Tower, Sera sat bolt upright in her bed and scanned the room for threats. After a moment, she sighed and sank back into the mattress.

Moonlight streamed through the windows. Great, it was the middle of the night.

Sera groaned and rolled out of bed. She considered just turning over and going back to sleep, but she was awake now.

She stumbled towards the door and stepped out into the large main room. Raven wasn't anywhere to be seen. Duh, she was probably asleep.

The amnesiac yawned as she approached a cooler near the low Mistralian table. If she was going to be up for a bit, she might as well have a drink.

The refrigerator-like cooler was half her height and its silver casing glinted in the dim light, and when she opened its door, its contents surprised her.

Bottles of water, a few packages of cold-cut deli meat, some plastic containers with leftovers inside, and…

"Oh my gods," Sera gasped. Without a second thought, she snatched the lone glass bottle out grinned. The deep purple liquid sloshed, and the glass was cold. Bold white letters splayed on the front of the container: People Like Grapes Soda.

Sera smiled wide and effortless popped the cap. Throwing back her head, she downed half its contents in seconds. After taking a moment to catch her breath, and to take her time and enjoy the rest of the soda, she wiped her mouth and grinned.

"Now _that's_ what the doctor ordered," Sera smiled to herself and took another gulp of the purple caffeine.

"Looks like I'll have to start hiding my stash," a voice spoke from behind. Sera spewed soda. After wiping her mouth and turning around, she was shocked to see Raven standing there, an amused smile on her face. But what startled her the most was that the bandit leader was wearing _pajamas._

Sera's eyes scanned the black and red nightgown. In cursive, the letters R.B. resided just above Raven's heart. Seriously, who wore monogrammed pajamas?

"Sorry. Couldn't sleep. And this stuff…" Sera glanced at the half-empty bottle in her hand. "This is my weakness."

Raven laughed. A good, hearty laugh. It reminded Sera of Yang.

"Don't worry about it. I couldn't sleep either," Raven leaned against a dresser.

"So, what's up?" Sera asked as casually as she could. The Maiden shrugged.

"Had the same idea as you, I guess."

"Oh…" Sera looked back at the inside of the small fridge. Without realizing it, she'd taken the last bottle of grape soda. "I mean, you can have the rest of this, if you want."

Raven looked confused for a moment. "Oh, no, not that. Although, that _was_ my last one. I'll have to get the others to pick up some more on their next supply run."

"And by 'pick up,' you mean 'steal'?" Sera raised an eyebrow. Raven smiled. The amnesiac shrugged and took another swig of her favorite beverage. "So, what're the plans for tomorrow?"

"For you? Nothing, I guess. Although, we _could_ use another pair of hands for that supply run…"

"Not a chance," Sera smoothly replied and downed the rest of the soda.

Raven smirked, "Figured not."

A few more moments passed before either of them spoke again. Raven looked like she was debating to say something or not.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Sera asked and twirled the empty bottle between her fingers.

It took a second for her to reply. "How're you feeling? Like, back at full strength?"

"I dunno," Sera blinked. She flexed her arms and legs. Her back was still stiff, and her legs wobbled slightly. She wasn't sure if that was the tiredness or the caffeine. "I'm gettin' there."

Raven nodded and gazed out of an open window. Surprisingly, no bugs were going into the tent. "If I told you I had a pretty good idea where Qrow was going…"

Sera perked up and gazed at the Maiden.

"What would you say?"

The amnesiac narrowed her eyes. "I'd say I'd like to know so I can meet them there as soon as possible."

Raven nodded. "Thought so."

"…You're still wanting me to join your 'tribe,' aren't you?" Sera asked. The bandit leader nodded reluctantly.

"They respect you, after that scrap on your first day. I've heard the talk around camp. If you were to actually join… Well, you'd make a good replacement for Vernal."

Sera scowled. "I don't _want_ to replace anyone. I just want to get back to my team."

"And you can as soon as you're ready—"

"I _am_ ready, Raven. In fact," Sera straightened and glared at the bandit. "I'm leaving tomorrow."

Raven winced, as if she were truly disappointed. "As you wish." Was all she said before she turned around and went back into her room.

Sera cracked her knuckles and gazed out at the broken moon hanging in the sky. Her expression softened as she imagined her teammates. "Girls, I'm comin'."

. . .

Morning came fast. After Sera and Raven's little discussion last night, the amnesiac forced herself to get some sleep. She thought she wouldn't be able to because of the sugary soda she'd had, but over the last several months, she's noticed that People Like Grapes seemed to calm her nerves more than just about anything else. Maybe that was why she like it so much.

And now, she stood at the gates of the Branwen camp with a canvas pack slung over her shoulder. She was outfitted in travel clothes—a white shirt, olive-colored cargo pants, brown hiking boots, and a warm black jacket that was meant for extreme weather conditions. Her gun belt hung on her hips and her half of Ember Celica was hidden beneath her jacket's sleeve.

After tucking her white hair into a loose black beanie, Sera turned to the crescent-shaped group of bandits that was seeing her off. Raven stood at the front of them, her Grimm mask tucked under one arm.

"Well, this is it," Sera stated as she rested hand on the dark hilt of Silver Linings. In a non-threatening way, of course. It was more of a relaxed posture.

Raven nodded. "So it is." Then she tossed a tall wooden staff to the amnesiac, and she caught it with ease. It was sanded and polished, and the grain of the wood mesmerized Sera's eyes. It was a walking stick, made from cedar.

Sera looked up questioningly, but the Maiden spoke up, "Trust me, it'll be easier with that."

She shrugged and planted the walking stick in the dirt. Taking one last glance at the group of dirty, grimy bandits, she turned away and made her way out of the gate.

The amnesiac held no sentimental value with these criminals, but still, she was a little reluctant to go. She thought of a few people she'd grown to know in the few days she spent here. Like Daisy, the little girl she helped repair an old bicycle with. It took Sera by surprise that they had children in such a place, but she became rather fond of the young girl with brown pigtails and a smile that missed two front teeth.

Sera gripped her new walking stick tighter and trudged into the forest. Mistral wasn't too far away. From there, she'd hopefully board either an airship or train and make her way north. From what Raven had told her this morning, that's where Qrow and her team would be—Atlas.

It wasn't much to go off of, but it was all she had. She also hated that Raven couldn't just _poof_ and open a portal straight to them, but she'd accepted that it was more trouble than it was worth. Yang might kill her if she found out that the amnesiac had been shacked up with the one woman she hates the most.

Sera sighed and adjusted her pack and kept walking. Sunlight poured through the trees and showered her in warm light.

This, Sera thought. Is not going to be a fun time.

. . .

It took several hours of walking, but finally, she entered the city of Mistral. Some citizens did a double take when they saw Sera, murmuring to each other when she passed.

They probably recognize me from the fight, she thought. But if that's the case, why are they acting like _this?_

She made her way to the house she and her friends had stayed in before the fight. The place was empty, but something was odd. It looked like someone had been living in it. Blankets were spread on a couch in the living area, some cabinets were open in the kitchen, and there was a small pile of dirty dishes in the sink.

She ignored it and trudged into her room. It looked exactly how she'd left it. She was only here for one thing anyway.

Sera pulled out the box she'd gotten from Lavender in the market and put its contents into her pack—her gifts for her team.

There were five necklaces in all, each of them identical. The chain was silver, but the pendant was the real eye piece. It was a rose—Ruby's personal emblem—except it had multicolored petals. Most of them were red, but one was yellow, another white, then black, and finally purple. They were the team's personal colors. Sera wanted to give the necklaces to them when the team reunited, but now she wasn't sure if that'd ever happen.

She sighed deeply and exited the house, heading back to the center of town.

After asking a few reluctant people around the market area, Sera discovered that airship services were currently down. Probably has something to do with the attack on Haven. But she did find out that the train stations were still open for business. That was probably why Ruby and the others had taken the ground transport rather than the air.

Nevertheless, she made her way towards the train station. Luckily, Raven had spared enough Lien to get her a ticket. Unluckily, there was a problem.

"Sorry, miss. Atlas's borders are closed. No one gets in or out except for the military," the man at the ticket booth explained.

"Seriously? Ugh, dammit, Ironwood…" she muttered.

"Were you still wanting a ticket? There are plenty of other places that trains are traveling between," the booth worker said kindly.

"Hm? Oh, yeah sure. You got a map?" Sera asked. Ten seconds later, she was inspecting a large map of Remnant that hung on a wall not far from the ticket booth. Her eyes scanned the area around Atlas.

"All right, if I were Qrow and I needed to get into Atlas, where would I go…?" She wondered aloud. Her eyes fell upon a dot on the map near the ocean. It was still in the kingdom of Mistral, but a logo on the city she inspected indicated that there was an Atlesian military base there. In fact, it was the only military base _outside_ of Atlas.

"Okay, that's a likely place… But how would they convince them to give up an airship? Unless…"

It took several moments and a lot of her brainpower, but a lightbulb went off in the huntress's head. "Unless they had a certain heiress of a certain famous corporation with them. An heiress whose father would just _love_ to take her back to the castle."

Excitement filled Sera's chest. She _knew_ this was what they'd done. Only Qrow could come up with a bird-brained scheme like this. Well, Ruby could too.

Sera grinned and ran up to the ticket booth, Lien in hand.

. . .

Mistralian trains are fast. After Sera had bought her ticket, she boarded and took her seat. Luckily, she had enough Lien for a private booth, but she should've sat down sooner. These trains were built for leisure and comfortability, but whenever they take off, you'd better be sitting or hanging onto something.

Sera wasn't so lucky. She'd just set her pack down put away her walking stick when the train lurched forward, sending face into the glass window. While families were waving good-bye to their loved ones, they got a great view of the huntress's face mashed against the window.

After freeing herself from the cursed glass, she sat on the cushioned bench and sighed. This was it. She was on her way to her team. All she had to do was enjoy the ride, and she'd be there within the day.

If only she knew that that wasn't going to be the case.

Sera spent the next few hours gazing out the window, daydreaming what she'd say to her team when she saw them, and wiping down Silver Linings with a rag and gun oil, kindly gifted to her by Raven Branwen.

Whenever a trolley loaded with food and snacks came by, she didn't hesitate to load up on as many goodies as she could. She was especially delighted that, upon her request, she was brought an entire case of People Like Grapes.

After kicking her legs up and relaxing into the seat with a bottle of grapey goodness in one hand and a slice of pizza in the other, she sighed contently. This is the life, she thought.

She gazed out the window and chomped on her pizza. The train was winding the side the side of a snowy mountain now, but something nagged at Sera in the back of her mind… Almost like a sense of déjà vu, only she knew it wasn't _her_ that experienced this, if that made sense.

Before she could think on it further, someone knocked on the door of her booth. Sera looked up to see a young man with chocolate-colored skin and a kind face smiling awkwardly as he slid open the glass door.

"Yes?" Sera raised an eyebrow, not moving from her relaxed position.

"Uh, hi. I heard there was a huntress on board, and I figured I'd introduce myself," he leaned into the booth, half his body sticking in. Holding in a sigh, she waved him in and gestured at the seat across from her. The man ducked in and sat where she'd indicated. He seemed all right to her. His face and voice were kind enough, and she figured some company couldn't hurt. He was decked out in clothes meant for cold weather, which made sense since they were currently riding in the _snow._

"I'm Jimi," he stuck his hand out.

Sera shook his hand, "Sera."

He nodded and relaxed. "So, Sera. Where you headed?" he asked.

"To find my friends," She responded. She didn't want to give away too much information, considering she didn't know this person.

"Separated?" he asked. Sera laughed dryly and set down her soda.

"You could say that."

Jimi drummed his fingers on his lap like he was nervous. "What's it like, being a huntress?"

Sera shrugged. "Dangerous, full of Grimm and bandits that could kill you at any moment. Sleeping out in the cold, days or weeks at a time without a warm meal. Going from town to town where people don't know you or care to know you."

Jimi nodded. "Sounds rough."

"I love it," Sera told him. He laughed in response.

"Yeah, you look like you do." Then he looked out the window again, not saying anything else for a while.

"Where're you from?" Sera asked, deciding to break the silence.

"Mistral. Going up to visit some family for a while. You?"

Sera's expression faltered. She considered saying Vacuo just to help the conversation along, but she remembered what she'd said to the group of huntsmen and huntresses the night Beacon was attacked, proclaiming it as her home.

"Vale." She mumbled. "I'm from Beacon." Jimi turned to look at her, a sad expression on his face.

"Sorry. I bet it was—"

Sera held up a hand to silence him. "Don't sweat it." He nodded, and she was thankful that he didn't press any further.

The huntress was about to politely ask him to leave, but the train lurched forward to the side before she could.

"What the-?" She asked. Something large and black passed by the window. Sera immediately pressed her forehead to the cool glass, her eyes scanning outside for threats. Then she saw it. I giant, flying Grimm with the body of a feline and a wingspan of at least fifty feet. Its spotlight red eyes glared at the train as it swooped in for another attack.

Dozens of smaller Grimm joined in. An entire flock of gryphons that followed the big Grimm's lead. She'd never seen any Grimm like it before, so she quickly decided to call it "Mittens."

"What was that?!" Jimi demanded as he regained his footing. Sera scowled and grabbed her jacket and gun belt, quickly slipping them on and throwing the sliding glass door open.

"Stay inside," She said, then ran for the nearest exit.

"Wait!" Jimi exclaimed, but Sera didn't listen. All she knew was that she had to protect this train. Because if she didn't, well… it's a long way down this mountain. And judging by the way Mittens kept ramming the side, it intended to send us on a ride.

She halted at the door, remembering one of her dreams. She slapped her own forehead and groaned. Damn it, she thought. _That's_ what it was. I saw the others fighting atop a train, defending it from flying Grimm. Apparently, they like to attack trains.

Sera kicked the door open, and blistering-cold wind hit her face. After recovering from the initial blast of freezing air, she jumped straight up, and onto the top of the train.

Icy wind ripped at her clothes and blew her hair in every direction. The tops of the train cars were blanketed with thick snow.

Sera's teeth chattered, but she was thankful for the winter jacket. She glared up at the flying masses of black, one of them significantly larger than the rest.

Mittens the flying lion roared a challenge at the short huntress. The train curved to the left on the icy tracks, and Sera struggled to hold her balance. She gritted her teeth and drew Silver Linings.

Again, she regretted dropping her sword at the fight in Haven. Its rifle form would be _extremely_ useful right now. Plus, the sword would do some major damage if she could get Mittens grounded. (Or was it _trained?")_

Nevertheless, she held the revolver at her hip and fired off several rounds at the Grimm. Most of them missed, due to the rushing wind and _definitely_ not Sera's aim. She'd kick anyone's ass who said otherwise. But one Dust round caused the beast to roar. The bad thing was that it sounded annoyed rather than injured.

The Grimm turned its spotlight-like glare at Sera. She had time to think _uh-oh_ before it roared again, and a dozen gryphons squawked and turned in her direction.

Sera fired off the rest of her rounds and quickly reloaded the weapon. By time she looked up again, they were already on her. She rolled to the side, almost falling off the train, and came up with Silver Linings aimed at the nearest baddie.

A well-placed shot to the head brought it to the ground, its lifeless body dissipating as the wind blew it away.

"One down," Sera muttered. "About twenty to go."

The rest of the initial wave of Grimm squawked and charged her. Some dive bombed while others loped across the narrow train car. Sera gritted her chattering teeth and spun Silver Linings in her hand. "Just another day in paradise."

She dove to the side, narrowly avoiding a swipe from a gryphon and firing into its side. The creature groaned and slipped off the side of the train, black blood spilling onto the snow.

After getting back to her feet and spitting out the snow from her mouth, she slammed her free hand into the next opponent. It made a pained growling sound and shot into the air.

"Oh, no you don't," Sera growled and fan-fired her weapon until the gryphon was brought down to the train car.

Its allies didn't like that. Several gryphons swooped down, biting and scratching at Sera's head. She had to dive into the snow to avoid being sliced into some Sera Sausage.

The Grimm roared and prepared to make a second dive. Sera sat up and looked to the sky. A pile of snow sat atop her head and on her shoulders. Shaking it off her body, she jumped to her feet. She was about to draw Silver Linings again, but instead she groaned loudly and slumped her shoulders.

"Snowball," she muttered. "If Qrow or Yang saw that, I'd never hear the end of it."

The gryphons dove, their claws ready and their eyes glowing with hatred. Something made Sera turn her head. Call it some sort of sixth sense, but as soon as she saw the tunnel that the train was about to pass through, she grinned. It looked a few feet taller than the train, but she couldn't be sure. With what she was planning, well, she hoped it was tall enough.

Sera jumped to her feet and waved her arms. "Hey, you big ugly chickens! Come get me, free huntress meal right here!"

The Grimm roared and tucked their wings in, gaining speed and diving faster. One little problem: they were gonna reach Sera before the tunnel could.

"Uh-oh!" Sera exclaimed and turned, sprinting through the snow and towards the tunnel entrance.

She could feel them on her back. She had four, maybe five seconds before they reached her.

She jumped to the next train car, almost falling off the train entirely, thanks to the wind. After landing on the car and rolling, she came up running. The tunnel was getting closer, and the Grimm seemed to notice what she was planning.

"Come on, you stupid pigeons! Look at me!" She shouted and fired a few rounds at them. Their focus went back to her. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

The tunnel was getting closer. She'd slam into the mountain in about five seconds if she wasn't careful.

Sera looked back at the Grimm and gritted her teeth. They were _right_ behind her.

She turned and allowed herself to fall into the snow. While staying as flat as she could, she aimed Silver Linings at the flock and fired.

They squawked in alarm. Some got shot, others scattered. Too late, though. Darkness enveloped the young huntress, and she could hear the sound of several bodies slamming into the mountain. She picked her head up enough to see where she entered. Black vapor fell to the top of the train. Some of it had blown away in the wind, but there was enough for her to see that her plan had worked.

Grinning to herself, Sera relaxed into the snow, ignoring the cold that enveloped her. She closed her eyes momentarily, and when light suddenly washed over her again, they shot open. The cloudy sky above her was gray and devoid of color. She could've stayed there for longer, but not two seconds later, a large shadow passed over her.

Sera shot to her feet and gripped the hilt of Silver Linings. The harsh wind blew the powder snow off of her instantly.

The large lion Grimm roared loudly and swept low over the train. Several more gryphons appeared from behind the mountain, joining the remaining ones in the sky to form a small cloud of black dots in the sky.

The huntress's eyes never left the larger Grimm. It glared hatefully at her and tried to swoop in to ram the train. Sera wasn't having any of that. She fired off her entire cylinder at the beast and it diverted its path. If it wanted the train, it'd have to take her first.

Focusing solely on the larger Grimm was a mistake. Before she could register the gush of wind that came from the left, something large and feathery slammed into her side.

The gryphon roared in her face and tried to snap at her, but luckily, she was strong enough to hold the beast at bay. The Grimm had tackled her from the side and immediately pinned her down on the snowy roof of the train. Sera struggled to get it off of her, but this thing was stronger than it looked.

Its razor-sharp claws dug into her legs, but she didn't feel it. She silently thanked the heavens for aura.

When she heard another chorus of roars and squawks, Sera looked up to see the rest of the flock going in for the kill. Strength surged through her body, and Sera kicked the Grimm off her. She rolled to her feet and brought her elbow down onto its large neck, and the beast's red eyes lost its glow.

She'd just turned around to face the rest of them when something large and heavy landed behind her. A deep growl emanated from within something's throat, and she could feel a pair of eyes boring into her back.

Sera slowly turned around to see Mittens towering above her. It was easily fifteen feet tall, maybe more. Its feline head was the size of a small car, and its midnight-colored fur shone in the light. Up close and personal, she finally realized what this Grimm was: a Manticore.

Its bone mask did nothing to hide the rage and fury in its eyes. Its tail flicked left and right restlessly as it growled down at her.

"Hey, kitty," Sera said. She'd meant to sound like she was talking to any regular house cat, but her voice came out as a timid squeak.

It growled and raised its massive paw, its chrome-colored claws glinting in the light.

She couldn't jump to the side. She'd either fall off the train or be batted by the Grimm's paws. She considered leaping back, but she was afraid it'd pounce. So, she did the logical thing: she charged.

Sera stepped inside of its paw strike and kicked it in the chest with all her strength. Mittens roared like a panther and went into the air, its massive wings beating gusts of wind down to Sera and making her struggle to maintain her footing.

Without wasting a breath, she drew Silver Linings and plugged the beast with a few fire Dust rounds. Its fur ignited in various places, making the Grimm roar in pain as it landed on the train car again to extinguish the flames.

Sera spun her revolver and holstered it. She rolled up her right sleeve and cocked her arm. Ember Celica expanded until the full-size gauntlet was on her wrist.

The amnesiac grimaced slightly. She'd rather have the owner of the weapon here to fight with her, but for now this was all she had.

Mittens roared at her and pawed the snow, the flames finally put out.

"You're mine, kitty," Sera muttered and raised her fists, mimicking the pose that Yang always took.

It charged her, but she was ready. She stepped inside of its attack and thrust her fist upward, delivering a powerful blow to its furry stomach. Mittens roared in outrage and swiped at her again. Sera caught its large paw and twisted, using its momentum to bring her feet under the beast's jaw.

The Grimm seemed surprised that she wasn't dead yet. Whenever Sera landed on the snow in front of it, Mittens seemed to look at her like, _Seriously? You're still kickin'?_ Pun intended, of course.

Sera grinned at that. Yang would be proud of the pun.

Mittens roared again, its large wings raising on either side of her. Dumb move, though. As soon as it did that, the wings caught the wind, and Mittens surged towards Sera. It face-planted in the snow, and she had to resist the urge to laugh. Instead, she rushed forward and planted a foot on its head. She instantly drew Silver Linings and hammer-fired four rounds into its skull. But that was all she could manage before the Grimm shook her off.

Without thinking, she leaped straight up in the air. Only then did she realize her mistake. The rushing wind caught her and blew her backwards, tumbling head over heels on the train car. She was lucky the wind was blowing head-on, or she'd likely be reaching the bottom of the mountain much quicker than she'd like to.

Shaking the snow out of her hair once again, she looked up to see the Manticore _right_ in front of her. Its tail slammed into her chest and sent her sprawling again. Her purple aura flickered from the force of the blow, but she got up again.

She fired a round from Ember Celica, but the Grimm simply closed its wings in front of it like a protective shield, and the blast did no harm. Why did this Grimm have to be smart?

That was when Sera was forced to remember that this wasn't the only Grimm she had to worry about. The flock of gryphons swarmed around her and the Manticore, squawking and roaring like they always do.

While she was distracted, the Manticore rushed her. Its massive paws slammed her to the ground, but not before she raised her hands just in time so that they didn't crush her.

She was wrestling with the beast now, trying to shove its heavy paws off her chest. She gritted her teeth and glared at the Manticore, then she smirked.

 _STOP!_

…Nothing happened. The rushing wind continued to blow in her ears and the sounds of the annoying gryphons was still present. Then she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen, as if an icy poker was jabbing away at her insides.

She gasped painfully, and that was all the Grimm needed to push its paws all the way onto her. The sheer weight of the beast crushed her chest and pushed the air out of her lungs.

What's wrong with me? Sera thought. Why isn't it working?

Maybe she was still weak from her battle in Salem's castle, but she had felt fine. She thought she was back to normal, though evidently not. Or maybe Salem had done something to her so she couldn't use her semblance? If that was the case, why was she able to use it in the fight? She didn't know, and it would've worried her immensely, but she had more pressing matters to attend to.

Sera gritted her teeth and tried to pry the paws off of her, but it was useless. The Manticore had won, and it was taking its time with killing her. Its large ugly face growled not five inches from her own. It looked like it was inspecting her. Maybe it saw Salem in her face. Hopefully not, Sera thought. Last thing I want is to actually resemble her, without the freaky paleness and red eyes.

She tried to wriggle her arm out to draw her gun, but her arms were pinned now. She was afraid that if she let go, it'd crush her without hesitation.

The Manticore made a deep rumbling sound in the back of its throat that could've been laughter. Sera was about to risk it all and let go to use Ember Celica, but she then heard the familiar sound of a blade sinking into flesh, and Mittens reared back in pain. Sera took her chance to roll to her feet and back away from the Grimm.

Another slicing sound was heard, and the Manticore went limp. Its lifeless body slumped forward. The red glow in its eyes dimmed, its body already dissipating into darkness.

Sera's eyes scanned the beast for why it had suddenly dropped dead, and she'd got her answer as soon as she lifted her eyes to meet her savior. Standing on top of the snowy train car was the last person Sera expected to come to the rescue. A frilly parasol rested on her shoulder, her lips danced in a smirk, and her different colored eyes gazed at the amnesiac.

" _Neo?"_ Sera asked, hardly believing what she was seeing. The ice cream girl gave a small smile and approached her. Sera immediately surged forward and hugged the shorter girl, catching her off-guard.

"Man, it's good to see you! How've you been, you fantastic little scamp, you," Sera smiled and held Neo at arm's length. She smiled and shrugged, but Sera couldn't blame her for not speaking. She was mute, after all.

Then something dawned on Sera. "Wait! We'll talk later, there's still…gryphons…around…" The words died in her throat. As she looked around, piles of dissipating darkness lay in the snow.

"You killed them _before_ saving me?" Sera's turned to her. Neo simply shrugged with her hands raised, as if she were saying, _What do you want from me?_

Sera groaned and shook her head. "Come on, let's get back inside before we get frostbit up here."

Neo nodded in agreement. Unlike Sera, she was not wearing any winter clothes. Instead, she was garbed in her usual white, pink and brown clothing.

As soon as they entered the train, a wave of cheering and applause welcomed them. People patted their backs and gave their thanks as Sera led the way back to her private booth. Luckily, Jimi was no longer in there. As nice as he was, Sera was in no mood to talk to strangers. She just wanted to warm up and converse with Neo, then quite possibly take a nap.

She was still worried about her semblance, but she'll freak out about it at a later time. After pulling a spare coat out of her pack and giving it to Neo, the ice cream girl brought out a scroll and began typing. That was how she and Sera communicated, except Sera could speak.

Neo showed her what she typed. _What happened to you?_

Sera sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. Then she went on to explain what she had gone through ever since waking up in Salem's. Neo had gone pale at the mention of Raven, which didn't surprise Sera. Upon Ruby and Yang discovering that Neo had joined their cause, they didn't hesitate to tell Sera their experiences with her. One of which included Raven saving Yang from being killed by this short, seemingly harmless girl. At least, she _looked_ harmless.

By time she was finished, Neo looked like she'd been hit with an airship. She managed to type out a single word: _Speechless._

Sera snorted, "You're _always_ speechless."

Neo narrowed her eyebrows and pinched Sera's arm.

"Ow! All right, fine. I'm sorry," Sera rubbed her sore arm. Apparently, aura didn't protect you from being pinched by a four-foot-tall girl. She looked up to meet Neo's pink and brown eyes. "What about you? What happened after Haven?"

Neo shook her head and began to type quickly, her fingers nimbly flying across the screen. Five minutes passed, but finally Neo handed the scroll over for Sera to read. Basically, she'd been staying in Mistral in the house that they had stayed in. After the battle, Neo had slipped away and waited for Ruby and the others to leave town. Why she didn't just go with them, Sera had no idea. Probably something to do with her past with Roman.

Neo had stayed in the house, trying to investigate what the White Fang were doing after a large group of them had been arrested. Being who she was, she managed to dig up that Adam Taurus had disappeared without a trace.

Sera clenched her fist at the mention of him. The piece of trash was the reason why Yang was missing a limb, along with whatever he did to Blake. Yang had told her that Adam and Blake knew each other. During the Fall of Beacon, they'd spoken like they had a bitter past. One thing she knew for sure was that Adam Taurus was the worst kind of scum. And people like him always got what was coming for them.

Anyway, Neo had spotted Sera boarding the train during a trip to contact some old "acquaintances," and she slipped on board just in time for the train to take off. So basically, Neo was a stowaway.

Sera suggested hiding her, but the ice cream-themed girl shook her head and smirked. In an instant, her hair lightened until it was as white as snow, and her eyes took on a deep shade of violet.

Sera blinked as Neo typed out a quick message: _"Hey, big sis."_

The amnesiac smiled, then it was quickly replaced by her narrowing her eyebrows at Neo. "Why didn't you do that before? You know, changing your features. You wouldn't have had to hide."

Neo blinked and stared out the window. She brought lifted her scroll once more. _Didn't think about it._

Sera laughed. This girl was a trained assassin, capable of blending into any crowd and striking without anyone noticing. She'd beaten Yang in hand-to-hand combat with extreme ease, yet she didn't even _consider_ using her abilities to hide in plain sight on the train.

"Hold on," Sera dug out a spare change of clothes that matched the ones she currently wore. Paired with the jacket she'd given to Neo earlier, they really would appear as sisters.

Neo frowned and took the clothes.

"There's a bathroom a few doors down," Sera noted. The ice cream girl nodded and disappeared from the booth. Barely a minute later, she returned, and Sera gasped.

The clothes were a size too big, so they hung loosely on her small frame, but other than that she looked like a miniature Sera. Her hair and eyes matched, but the length of her hair had remained the same as before it changed color. Neo looked like the younger sister that Sera never had.

"You're like a mini me!" Sera laughed. Neo fidgeted where she stood and smiled nervously. A sudden tap to the glass made them both jump.

He was visible in the see-through glass, and Sera had to resist rolling her eyes. Jimi had returned. Again, not that she didn't like the guy, but she detested people she didn't know. Anyone could be working for Salem, trying to get in close enough to strike. Although Jimi didn't exactly look like assassin material, you could never know.

Sera slid the glass door open enough to poke her head through and faced the young man. "Hey, this isn't really a good time—"

"That was amazing, what you did! If we didn't have a huntress on board, this train would've been toast! I couldn't see anything, but it sounded awesome!" He praised.

Sera smiled. Hey, it felt good to have this kind of reaction for answering the call of duty. "Thanks, but seriously this isn't a good time. I'm just catching up with my friend—er, _sister_ here."

Jimi looked past Sera to see the shorter white-haired girl. "I thought you boarded alone," he blinked.

"I did," Sera nodded. "But it turns out that she boarded the same train. Small world, huh?" She chuckled nervously. But he seemed to buy it.

"Uh, well okay, then. If you're busy, I can visit later—"

"No, that's okay," Sera cut him off. Hey, she was getting tired of being nice. She was at her limit for _niceness_ for the day. Jimi tried to speak again, but Sera slid the door closed and turned to Neo. She was looking at her, her arms crossed.

"What?" Sera asked. Neo shook her head and sat down. The amnesiac sat across from her and leaned forward.

"Okay, so the plan is to somehow find Ruby and the others when the train stops at its destination. If my hunch is right, they'll be there trying to get an airship to Atlas. With a little luck, we'll find them and regroup."

Neo listened carefully, nodding occasionally as Sera explained the game plan. Once she was finished, Neo raised her hand like students do in class, signifying that she had a question.

 _What if we don't find them?_

Sera sighed and leaned back. She'd been wondering the same thing, but she was trying to be positive for once. "We _will_ find them. If I know that old man, and I do, he's doing _exactly_ what I said he is. They'll be there." She tried to sound determined and confident, but there was still that nagging sensation in the back of her head.

 _What if they're not there? The trip will be for nothing,_ it said to her.

 _Then we'll find another way. Contact General Ironwood somehow,_ Sera replied.

 _Yeah, but what if—_

 _Shut up,_ she told it.

She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice the shadow pass by the window. Neo was frantically looking out the window and trying to get her attention, but too late.

Something _big_ slammed into the train. It knocked Sera out of her seat and sent her sprawling. Before it could do it again, she scrambled to her feet and searched out the window.

Something roared somewhere above them. It sounded bigger than a Manticore.

Sera turned and grabbed her gun belt. Neo tapped furiously on her scroll, _Another attack so soon?_

"Looks like it. It sounds bigger than the last one, so we better get up there fast—"

It slammed into the train again, knocking them off their feet. Sera cursed and used the wall to climb to her feet. She glanced out the window again, and she saw it.

Her breath hitched in her throat and she had to resist clamp onto her gun belt to keep from dropping it.

The beast roared again, this time so loudly that the windows shook violently and threatened to burst. That's when she heard the panicked screams of the other passengers. She didn't blame them, because the thing that was flying towards them for another attack was a dragon.

It wasn't as big as the massive Wyvern during the Fall of Beacon, but it wasn't little. This dragon was an actual _dragon,_ with four legs and a pair of giant leathery wings. Like all other Grimm, its color was as black as midnight, and white bone armor covered various areas on its large body. Its sinister white and red mask covered its face and snout. A pair of malevolent red eyes seemed to glare _exactly_ where Sera was on the train.

"That's not good," Sera squeaked. The dragon roared and beat its giant wings. It was _easily_ a hundred feet long, so it made the Hydra Grimm look like a wimpy younger sibling.

It swept over them, but Sera got the feeling it would be back soon. She looked out the window and down at the mountainside. If it intended to slam into the train… Well, that wouldn't be too good.

Sera grabbed her pack and walking stick. She had the feeling things were about to get bumpy.

"Go tell the other passengers to brace for impact!" Sera shouted. Neo waved frantically and gestured at her mouth.

"Oh… right," Sera mumbled and threw the door open. Before she could charge out the door, she went weightless. The train was thrown to the side, and Sera flew back, slamming into the wall behind her. Neo was tossed to the ground, but she was quick to get to her feet.

"Quickly, we have to…" That's when Sera felt the train shift. It groaned against the tracks, and Sera suddenly had a pretty good view of the ground from the window.

"Oh, SHI—" Sera managed to scream before the ground rushed towards her. She heard the sound of metal being crushed, and suddenly the train was flipping, flipping down the mountainside. Passengers screamed. Sera gritted her teeth as she and Neo were tossed around the booth, slamming into the floor, walls, and ceiling.

Then the train slammed into the ground. The sound was awful—metal being ripped apart and crushed, glass shattering and exploding, and trees being blown down.

Something large and heavy slammed into Sera's head and she her eyes rolled into the back of her head.


	13. No Rest for the Wicked

Sera sat bolt upright, then immediately regretted it. Pain throbbed in her head and she was forced to lay back down, clutching her body.

The memories of what had happened washed over her like an ocean wave. The train had been knocked off the mountain by a giant dragon.

Something appeared in her blurry vision. A figure with white hair and violet eyes. For a terrible moment, she thought she was hallucinating to see herself, but once her eyesight cleared, it was just Neo. Her eyebrows were knit together, and a frown was on her face.

Sera groaned and sat up slowly. Nothing felt broken, just the horrible throbbing in her brain. She turned her head to check out her surroundings. They were still in the train car, except they were sitting on the ceiling. That gave Sera a slight case of vertigo.

Neo was sitting at her side with a cup of steaming liquid in her hand. After lifting it to Sera's lips to give her a drink, the pleasant taste of hot chocolate washed over her tongue.

Once Neo pulled the cup away, Sera looked up to meet her currently violet eyes. "The passengers?"

Neo shook her head once. A feeling of guilt overtook Sera. She was the huntress on board, the only one to protect them. She'd done an all right job against the Manticore, but she was too slow for the dragon. Neo then put her hand on Sera's shoulder in a reassuring manner.

Sera got to her feet. She spotted her pack and walking stick leaning against the wall. Neo must've set them there after the crash.

She quickly shouldered the pack and took her walking stick in hand.

"Come on, we have to get out of here before that thing comes back," she stated, then ducked through the shattered window, careful to avoid the jagged edges.

Neo picked up another pack and followed her out into the snow. Sera bundled up, but she still shivered. She had no idea where to go. No map, no supplies, and no shelter besides the ruined train. She looked up at the cloud-covered sun. It was mid-afternoon, and judging by their position, north was to their left. North was the way towards Atlas, so therefore, it's the way to go.

"Let's go, Neo," Sera muttered and trudged into the snow. Neo followed closely behind, silently shivering and wrapping her new coat around her in an attempt to stay warm.

. . .

"This sucks," Sera chattered. She hugged herself to try and get some warmth. It barely helped.

The two of them had been trudging through the snow for well over an hour now. Sera had to look back and make sure Neo was still following her every few minutes. Ever since the snow had picked up, they could barely see ten feet in front of them.

The cold seeped into her and turned her bones to glass and skin to shivering paper. She wasn't sure if that's what had actually happened, but it sure felt that way.

Sera turned around to see Neo's teeth chattering violently. She seemed to be losing focus for her hair and eye colors, because every now and again they flickered back to pink, brown, and white.

We can't go on like this for much longer, Sera thought. We need to find shelter—fast.

A roar echoed across the snowy forest. It sounded far off, so they kept marching north.

In her dreams, Qrow and the others had been riding a trailer pulled by Yang on Bumblebee. She wished she and Neo had that. Heck, they'd settle for the snow letting up a little. Or a fire.

Sera held in a giggle at the prospect of sitting by a fire and getting all toasty and warm. Okay, she thought. Now I'm going crazy.

Neo tapped on her shoulder. The mute girl pointed off to their right, and relief washed over Sera. There was an old wooden building visible nearby. It looked abandoned, but she didn't care. Anything was better than braving this snowstorm.

With renewed energy, the two of them trudged as quickly as they could through the snow and to the building.

Sera had to kick the door open. It was latched shut, but as soon as the wooden door flew open with the combined force of the kick and wind, she and Neo dashed inside.

"Door!" Sera commanded. She immediately pushed a heavy cabinet in front of the door while Neo held it closed. With the door being shut, the wind came to a halt and snow stopped blowing inside.

The amnesiac collapsed on the floor and held her jacket around her. She looked up to inspect the cabin. It was bigger than she thought. A wooden staircase led up to a second floor and what seemed to be a kitchen was visible through a second doorway.

Inside the room they were in, a fireplace was on the far wall, a circular rug laid on the floor, and a couch, and a pair of wooden rocking chairs.

Neo sighed and slid down the wall into a seated position. Sera hauled herself to her feet, leaned her walking stick against the wall, and shrugged her pack off her shoulders.

Without hesitation, she walked over to the rocking chairs and began to break them into kindling. It took next to no effort with her strength, but they'd need more wood if they wanted to stay warm during the night.

She piled the broken sticks into the fireplace and tossed a small flame Dust crystal into the base. Using another stick, she struck the red crystal, and the fire came to life.

"Ah," Sera sighed contently as she raised her hands in front of the flames. Warmth washed over her to the point where her skin was beginning to feel like it was burning, but she didn't care.

Neo scooted next to her and did the same. Her now white hair looked ghostly in the dim light, and Sera wondered if that was how she looked. Neo's violet eyes reflected the flickering flames.

"There's no one else around for miles," Sera broke the silence. Her teeth had stopped chattering, so her voice sounded back to normal. "Why do you keep your eyes and hair like mine?"

Neo shrugged and rubbed her hands together in front of the flames. Turning her attention back to the fire, Sera relaxed and sat with her knees held to her chest.

"Thank you," Sera muttered. Neo gave her a sideways glance. "For saving me on the train. That Grimm had me pinned." She chuckled. Running her fingers along her knee, Sera continued, "I've caught the paw of an Alpha Beowolf in mid-swipe, and pulled an Ursa back by its tail from a crowd of students, but that Manticore was too much for me. So… Thank you."

Neo didn't react. Probably because she couldn't say anything, but Sera suspected she wasn't used to hearing those two words.

"I dunno why you're helping me and the others like this, but I appreciate it. You could've tracked down Cinder yourself, your tried to go after Ruby because of the fight on the airship, but you didn't."

Neo stared at the fire.

"I know you've done bad in the past, but you're proving that you can be good too," Sera hoped her words were reaching the mute girl. She knew that Neo was just doing this to take down the girl technically" responsible" for the death of Roman Torchwick, but Sera hoped she could be more than just someone out for vengeance. There was probably no redeeming her or what she is, but Sera could try. Hell, the way Yang described Neo was kinda scary.

"For what it's worth," Sera said. "I'm glad to have a little psychopath on my side."

Neo smirked and nudged her with her shoulder. Sera looked out the window and at the darkening sky. It didn't feel like it because so much had happened, but this was still the same day that she'd left Raven's camp.

Sera stood and went to check the rest of the house for anything they could use, leaving Neo alone by the fire.

Not much was in the kitchen, but she did find a few canned fruits, vegetables, and meat sauce with noodles and meatballs.

After searching the few rooms up there, she returned downstairs with an armful of blankets and pillows. She'd raided the master bedroom. The blankets and pillows were old and smelled musty, but they beat sleeping on the cold floor with nothing.

"I've got food and warm stuff!" Sera announced as she dropped off the final step on the staircase. Neo stood to inspect her bounty.

Sera dropped the stuff on the floor and picked out a blanket and pillow. "You can take the couch, I'll take the floor. We'll keep moving in the morning."

Neo shook her head and pointed at Sera, then to the couch. The amnesiac smiled and laid out her blankets on the floor near the fire.

"Not up for debate. You take the couch, I'll take the floor," Sera repeated.

Neo rolled her eyes and snatched a blanket up. Sera helped Neo drag the couch over so she could be in the fire's warmth as well. After half-heartedly eating some of their canned goods, the shorter girl arranged herself on it and faced away from Sera. But she could tell that Neo was thankful for being given the couch.

The amnesiac tossed some more sticks onto the fire, deciding they'd have to risk not finding more stuff to burn.

Sera sighed and laid back on the floor, placing a musty-smelling pillow behind her head.

Sweet dreams, she thought to herself. Then she allowed her tired eyes to close.

. . .

The house exploded. At least, that was what Sera had thought happened. She was in the middle of a rather pleasant dream of eating lunch Beacon's cafeteria with her team and JNPR when the sound of wood splintering, glass shattering, and a loud roar woke her.

Sera sat bolt upright to find the house in pieces around her, as if an airship had crashed through it. That's when Sera realized that the actual cause of it was something much bigger than an airship.

Neo was already on her feet, a wild look in her eyes as she lifted her parasol like she was going to whack something with it. Sera jumped to her feet and drew Silver Linings, the familiar weight of the weapon relaxing her slightly.

Standing before them, was the Grimm Dragon.

For the billionth time, she wished she had her sword. Sera had a feeling it'd take more than a tiny gun and Neo's parasol for this thing to go down.

It towered above them. Its large head was thirty feet above them. Its ruby-colored eyes glared right at Sera.

Sera wanted to plant her face in the snow and scream. Stupid! She thought. It was drawn to the smoke from the fireplace!

"Run," Sera squeaked. But even as she said that, she knew it was hopeless. This thing could easily keep up with them, and the snow wasn't going to make it any easier.

They didn't run. They stood as still as statues. The dragon didn't move either, but it likely wouldn't take long for it to get bored and just eat them.

Maybe it can't see us if we stay absolutely still, Sera thought hopefully.

No such luck. As if on cue, the dragon roared at them. A horrible, ear-splitting roar that sounded like a thousand chainsaws.

Neo looked at her expectantly, as if she were asking, _Well? Run or fight?_

Sera could only look at her helplessly. She didn't know what to do. Well, she sighed. When in doubt, go for the head.

She charged.

The dragon roared and swiped its canoe-sized claws at her. Sera leaped over it and onto its foreleg, running towards its body with Silver Linings in her hand.

She never made it to the head. Just as she jumped from its leg to its shoulder, the dragon swung its head around and blasted a torrent of black flames at her. Sera panicked, believe it or not. But just before the flames hit her, she raised her arms in front of her face and squeezed her eyes shut. She hoped that her semblance would activate by itself much like it did in Forever Fall, but no such luck.

The flames blasted her backwards and into the snow, much like a shotgun blast against a small animal.

Sera groaned and rolled over to pick herself up off the ground. A tingling sensation was spreading throughout her body, but she didn't have time to think too much about it. The dragon reared its head back and blasted another black inferno in her direction.

She leaped to the side and over a fallen log. When Sera peeked over the tree, she could see Neo darting around and delivering rapid slices where she could to the beast's legs. The dragon roared in outrage and continued trying to swat the annoying girl with its claws and tail.

Sera vaulted over the log and ran towards the fight. She fired off several rounds from Silver Linings, pegging the dragon in the face and effectively annoying it.

It turned towards Sera with its hate-filled eyes and took to the air. Neo tried to grab hold of its tail, probably to crawl up its body, but it was just out of reach.

The Grimm roared and dived towards Sera, its fangs bared and its claws ready to slice her to ribbons. Or perhaps it'd try to crush her instead.

Before the dragon could do either, Sera slid under its massive body baseball-style and came up with her finger on Silver Linings's trigger. She fired electricity Dust rounds into its underbelly and immediately reloaded when her gun ran empty.

The dragon roared, hopefully in pain and not annoyance, and landed on the ground with a thunderous boom.

Sera kicked up snow running over to Neo. The mute girl looked at her like, _Great, you pissed it off. Now what?_

The amnesiac knit her eyebrows together in concentration. She had an idea, but there was no way it would work. With Beacon's CCT down, could the signal even get through? The receiver supposedly ran on some sort of link rather than radio waves, but could her target reach her before this dragon literally chewed them up and spit them out?

Sera turned to Neo, "Can you distract it?"

Neo rolled her eyes. Sera figured she was probably trying to say, _Of course I can. What kind of question is that._

"Buy me some time," Sera requested. Neo looked uncertain, but she nodded. After she ran off to be an annoying pest to the dragon, Sera went behind a tree and put her back to it as she pulled out her scroll.

She punched in her four-digit passcode. A loading screen appeared.

"Please, please, please," she muttered, then a message with a smiley face appeared on-screen. _Happy Hunting, Sera!_

Sera grinned.

She spun out from behind the tree, and her smile faltered. The dragon had Neo pinned to the ground with its foreleg, and its open jaws looked like they were about to take her head off. Neo fought viciously, trying to break free.

"Hey, ugly!" Sera yelled and fired an ice Dust round at its face. Its lower jaw froze on contact. The dragon looked rather surprised. It glared at Sera with absolute hatred in its eyes.

Just have to buy time till it gets here, she thought.

Her distraction was just enough for Neo to get free. Where she lay, an identical clone of her shattered, and she was suddenly standing next to Sera.

"Neat trick," Sera mumbled as the dragon broke the ice on its jaw. Neo smirked and shouldered her deadly parasol.

"Just have to hold it off for a little while till the package gets here."

Neo looked at her incredulously.

"Trust me," Sera tried for a reassuring smile. I hope, she thought. Without wasting another moment, she rushed the dragon again. It roared and reared back, its ruby eyes gleaming with anger.

Sera readied Ember Celica while aiming her revolver at the dragon's face. She hammer-fired the weapon while running. Once the telltale clicking of an empty cylinder rang out, she shoved the gun into its holster and jumped at the Grimm, her fist raised.

Neo was trailing closely behind with the blade of her parasol dipped towards the ground. As soon as Sera's feet left the ground, the mute diverted her path to get around to the dragon's side.

Sera couldn't help but grin as she sailed straight for the beast's maw. She knew it would either blow more black flames or bite at her, but she was counting on one thing. Hopefully it'd work this time instead of blanking out on her.

Just as she reached the arc of her jump, she could see the black flames getting ready to shoot out from the back of the dragon's throat. Once the flames shot out towards her, the amnesiac squeezed her eyes shut. She poured all her willpower, anger, and despair into one thought.

 _STOP!_

Time slowed to a crawl, then stopped completely. The black flames had just made it past the beast's teeth. The roar of wind in Sera's ears stopped abruptly.

She opened one eye slowly. Once she saw that her semblance had actually worked this time, she grinned.

Sera fell back to the ground, then immediately kicked off the snow and went straight back up. She used Ember Celica to deliver the hardest uppercut she could muster to its jaw. The dragon's head cocked upwards and stopped again.

The huntress smirked and landed on the tip of its snout. She gazed at its giant pair of eyes, wondering why this Grimm was so hellbent on getting her. Maybe Salem sent it, she thought.

She scowled distastefully at the thought of her mother. Before her semblance could end, she sent an explosive blast from Ember Celica to the dragon's face, then leaped off its face.

Everything moved again like normal as soon as her feet touched the snow. The sounds of two explosions were heard. One from Ember Celica, the other from within the dragon's mouth. Sera hoped that would happen. She'd purposely slammed under its jaw with her uppercut, forcing its mouth closed. With nowhere to go, the black flames within its maw built up and combusted.

The dragon roared as it fell back. Black smoke trailed into the sky from its mouth. Neo blinked hard, apparently not believing what she'd just witnessed.

Sera smiled to herself. But she doubted that that brought this large Grimm down so soon. As if on cue, the dragon stirred. It brought itself to its feet and growled in Sera's direction. She imagined it was probably thinking, _Cute trick, girlie. Now its my turn._

The giant Grimm reared back and roared into the sky, shooting a column of black flames.

The amnesiac caught a flicker of movement over the dragon's shoulder. A narrow gray object was flying towards her with the velocity of an airship. Its metal glinted in the sunlight, and it brought a broad smile to Sera's face.

Neo blinked and pointed at it.

"Yeah, that's it," Sera affirmed.

The dragon was still shooting flames like some sort of temperamental child, so it seemed to fail to notice that it was in the flight path of a Beacon Academy locker.

The locker slammed into the top of its head with an audible _crack,_ forcing the lizard onto all fours again. Sera grinned as her locker planted itself in the snow like it had just fallen from space.

"Oh, you beauty!" Sera squealed and rushed to the locker. She quickly typed in her passcode, and the door swung open. Neo peeked around her shoulder to inspect its contents while the dragon recovered from its unexpected head injury.

Laying inside her locker was a black and red sword. The same sword that Magnus had returned to her from her old life at Shade. Sitting beside it was a leather pouch full of Dust and even an extra pair of her old white and purple outfit.

Sera reached excitedly towards the hilt of the sword, but her smile disappeared, and her hand stilled. Taped to the inside of the door was a scroll-sized picture of her and team RWBY sitting at a lunch table. Ruby was smiling at the camera with a cookie in hand while Weiss sat with her arms crossed stubbornly beside her. Blake's face showed no emotion, but she had her hand raised in a wave. Yang stood a broad smile on her face and her hands on her hips. Sera was sitting on the other side of Ruby with her middle finger raised and a playful smirk on her lips.

She missed that day. She wished she would've cherished her time at Beacon more than she had.

Shaking off her nostalgia, she grabbed the black and red sword, pulling it out of the locker. The weapon felt familiar, yet out of place in her hands. She knew that she must've fought with it for years, but she'd grown so accustomed to Crimson Eclipse that this blade felt foreign.

Nevertheless, it was a sword. And out of all the weapons she'd accumulated, she was the most dangerous with a blade.

She gently closed the locker door closed after taking one last look at the picture. I'll see them again, she thought.

Then she charged the dragon.

Just in time, it lifted itself from the ground and bared its teeth at Sera. She grinned as she got closer to the scaly reptile. Neo was running alongside her, and Sera was thankful for her presence. Fighting alongside someone was always better than being alone. Because then, at least you knew someone had your back in case things went sideways.

The dragon spat more black flames at Sera, but she sidestepped and went straight for its face. As soon as she raised her old sword above her head to attack, a flood of memories, like déjà vu, filled her mind. She'd done this a thousand times with this sword—leaping towards the enemy with it raised high, against just about every kind of Grimm imaginable.

She grit her teeth and swung. The blade of the sword cleaved into the dragon's cheek, black blood spilling onto the snow.

The dragon roared and its head flailed from side to side, batting Sera to the ground and causing her body to dig a shallow trench in the snow.

Neo was suddenly at her side, helping her to her feet.

"We need to take this thing down fast," Sera grumbled once she was standing. Neo arched an eyebrow mockingly.

"Yeah, I know," Sera rolled her eyes. Then the mute girl's face morphed to one of curiosity and caution. _What's the plan?_ She seemed to be asking. Sera took a little pride in that. She was getting better at reading Neo.

The dragon focused in on the two girls again, black blood dripping from its large face.

"Okay, game plan: I'm gonna kill it," Sera told the shorter girl.

 _Seriously?_ Neo's eyebrows furrowed.

The amnesiac grinned. "Trust me. I have a plan."

Neo's expression never faltered.

"Okay! I have, like… half a plan," Sera admitted.

Another unapproving stare from Neo.

"I'm gonna wing it," Sera mumbled. Then an idea wormed its way into her head. She glanced over at the dragon's giant wings spread in the air.

Sera grabbed Neo's shoulders, startling the poor girl. "Clip its wing," she ordered. Neo's grin sent a shiver down Sera's spine. Then the mute was gone. She dashed towards the large Grimm, parasol in hand.

Sera sprinted for the dragon, her sword at her side. Before the dragon could react, Neo dashed up its leg and onto its back. It reared and spat flames in every direction, trying to throw her, but Neo held fast. Sera jumped onto its leg just before the dragon reared back again, and she pushed off of it, using the momentum to propel herself skyward.

She cut its wing down the membrane like it was paper, gaining another pained roar from the dragon. Sera dropped to the ground like a rock, turning her momentum into a roll and coming up unharmed.

Neo seemed to be having the time of her life, riding the Grimm like a bucking bronco. She swung her parasol/sword wildly, slicing into its back and the base of its wings whenever she could.

Sera smiled, shaking her head. "Neo! Other wing, please!"

The mute looked up and rolled her eyes, but the sudden shouting drew the dragon's attention. It regarded Sera with hateful eyes and opened its maw, black flames forming at the back of its throat.

"Uh-oh."

She jumped to the side just as the fire hit where she was standing. The snow melted instantly and the grass beneath blackened.

Neo jumped to her feet, almost falling off its back, then brandished her parasol and leaped into the air. The blade in her parasol wasn't exactly versatile compared to a regular sword, but she managed to slice the webbing of the dragon's wings easily enough.

"Way to go, Mini Me!" Sera whooped, gaining a baleful look from Neo. _'Mini Me'?_

The dragon roared angrily and tried to take flight. It beat its wings powerfully, but it was no use. Its severed webbing flapped in the wind, but the dragon stayed grounded. That fact seemed to make it angrier. It roared and blew flames everywhere, blasting the snow, trees, and into the air.

It stomped in an outrage and charged Sera. Neo was hanging on for dear life on its back. She seemed to see that it was intending to flatten Sera to the ground, and anger flashed in her violet eyes.

Neo thrusted her parasol's blade into the Grimm's back rapidly in a flurry of strikes. The dragon roared and reared back, then kept going back. Sera saw what it was trying to do, and it was too late to stop it. Even if she used her semblance, she doubted she could make it in time. She was already tired from the fight and using it earlier.

The dragon fell onto its back with a loud _boom_ and rolled from side to side, trying to make sure it crushed the small girl.

"Neo!" Sera shouted as she ran towards the beast. She leaped into the air and fell onto its surprisingly soft belly, not caring that it was still rolling around so violently. With a yell of outrage, she drove her sword into the soft flesh at her feet. The dragon shrieked and rolled over, throwing Sera off of it as it got back to its feet.

Sera landed on her feet, her sword impaling itself in the ground to her left. She couldn't see Neo anywhere, but she tried not to focus on that.

The dragon glared at her, black flames licking out from its bared teeth. Sera glared at it and marched over to her old weapon.

"You want death?" Sera yanked the sword free. "Well, come on!"

The Grimm roared and charged, its large legs thundering against the snow. Sera yelled in defiance and sprinted at it. She could vaguely see a dim purple glow out of the corner of her eye, and after a quick glance, she saw that it was her violet flower tattoo. Her lightly tanned skin turned pale around the edges of the tattoo, spreading outward until her arm was almost as white as the snow around her. She saw black veins on the back of her arms, and her fingernails darkened until they too were black. She bet all her Lien that her eyes were glowing red now.

She hated turning into this. It was just another dark reminder of what she was. But she was a little relieved, too. She was no longer winded, and she felt stronger. More powerful.

Even the dragon seemed taken back by the white-haired huntress that was running towards it. But it didn't slow.

Sera screamed as she jumped into the air. The dragon opened its jaws to snap her up, but she was faster. With a powerful swipe from her sword, the Grimm's eyes widened.

She landed on its snout and immediately jumped to the top of its head. Sera gritted her teeth, and before the dragon could wise up and shake her off, she drove her sword into its skull with enough force to feel like she'd just stabbed butter.

The dragon roared weakly as the glow from its eyes faded, and it fell to the ground in a heap of black scales.

Sera panted as she yanked the sword from its skull and jumped down to the ground. She took a deep breath and stabbed the weapon into the snow as the dragon began dissipating into shadow.

She saw movement to her left, and Neo appeared in front of her with wide eyes and a paled face. Her clothes were ripped and hair disheveled, but she appeared fine.

Sera glanced down at her arms to see that they were still pale, but the black veins were receding, and she was beginning to get some color back.

"Well," she sighed. "That sucked." Then she promptly collapsed once her body returned to normal.

. . .

Sera's dreams were extremely tame compared to what they usually consisted of. This time, she was sitting on the couch of the Xiao Long house with Ruby, Yang, and Tai. They were watching some silly show that depicted several men in different-colored suits of power armor with golden visors and rifles in their hands. They seemed to be bickering about a vehicle with a heavy machine gun mounted on the back.

Sera recognized this show. It was Red vs. Blue, one of the things that she and Ruby watched a lot of during their time after the Fall of Beacon.

They seemed to be having a good time, laughing together at the television. Sera sighed in content and leaned against Yang. The blond wrapped her right arm around her, which was weird since it had been severed during the Fall of Beacon.

Taiyang smiled warmly and turned to say something, but when he spoke, it wasn't his voice.

 _Wake up, young lady,_ a woman's voice said.

Sera sat bolt upright in a completely different place. She was in a large, extremely comfortable bed in some room with wooden walls and candles providing light.

She turned to see a woman in her twenties or thirties looking down at her. She had flowing black hair and green eyes, and she was dressed in a heavy woolen coat.

"W-where am I?" Sera blinked.

"Hurosaki," she replied, a kind tone to her voice. "We found you in the forest, your friend dragging you through the snow."

Then she remembered the fight against the dragon before she collapsed. "My friend—is she okay?"

"She's fine," the woman assured. "In the next room, warming up."

Sera nodded and threw her legs over the side of the bed. When she stood, she was surprised that she didn't feel exhausted like she usually does after blacking out from pushing herself. She was pleased to see that she wore the same clothes, just without her jacket. She hated waking up to find out someone had changed what she was wearing.

"You must've been in a tough fight," the woman commented. Sera nodded and made her way to the door.

"Guess my friend didn't tell you?" Sera asked. The woman shook her head.

"Hasn't said a word, actually."

"She's mute. She _can't_ say a word," Sera chuckled.

"Figured," the woman said as they entered the next room—a large living area with a fireplace crackling and warm rugs covering the wooden floor. Neo sat on the couch with a bowl of stew in her lap, but she stood when she saw Sera.

"Stew over there if you're hungry," the green-eyed woman told her. "And you can come outside whenever you're feeling like it."

Sera nodded, then the woman exited the small building they were in. Neo walked up to her, worry lines on her face.

"Hey," Sera told her. "Easy-peasy, right?"

Neo slugged her in the shoulder, but there was no force behind it. The black-haired woman smiled lightly. "I'll leave you alone." But before she could make it to the door, Sera spoke up.

"Actually, miss. I was hoping I could talk to you a bit."

She turned around, "About?"

"Uh, how about where exactly we are, and why you agreed to help my friend and I?"

The woman sighed and clasped her hands together. "As I've told you, you're in Hurosaki—"

"And where is that?" Sera interrupted. The woman shot her a look.

"Not far from the ocean between Mistral and Atlas. As for _why_ my village helped you, well, we're a hospitable people. We'd never turn away an injured huntress, especially after slaying such a large Grimm so close to our home."

"Yeah but where were you during the fight," Sera mumbled. The woman didn't seem to hear.

"Hurosaki is a small village," the woman stated. "But you're welcome to explore and meet the people who've allowed you to stay." And with that, she turned and left the cabin.

Sera sighed and looked to Neo, who was glaring at her.

"What?"

Neo rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Well, whatever. Let's get outta this house," Sera grabbed her jacket.

As soon as she stepped out of the wooden cabin, Sera gasped. Before her were about a dozen or so wooden or log cabins arranged in neat rows. Smoke billowed from their chimneys, and people bustled about the snow-covered "streets". Children played and ran around, chucking snowballs at each other and just being kids. A few dozen meters to her left, a building that was obviously a blacksmith's forge rang out with the sound of hammer pounding against metal. Several guards armed with simple rifles patrolled the perimeter. A lot of them kept glancing to the sky, as if they expected another dragon. Just how close had the fight been to this village?

Sera stepped onto the snow-covered ground took in the sight of the village. Once a group of kids saw Neo, they ran over to her giggling with wide grins plastered on their faces. Neo smiled and ruffled their hair, then a girl that looked about six wrapped her tiny arms around the mute's waist.

Sera raised an eyebrow. Since when was Neo the kid-friendly type? She attacked Beacon and has cut down Grimm like they were made of wax, but here she was getting along with children.

A few of them glanced warily in Sera's direction as they told Neo about their adventures "slaying Grimm with snowballs".

Eventually, the kids ran off to play and Neo looked to her with a pleased smile.

"Since when are you, I dunno, _nice?"_ Sera asked. Neo frowned and crossed her arms.

"Whatever, let's see if there's a quick way outta this place," Sera gestured towards the blacksmith's forge.

They stepped through the open doorway and were immediately met by a large man with greasy hands and a grimy blacksmith's apron. He was bald, but on his face resided a handlebar mustache that would make Professor Port jealous.

"Welcome! You must be the huntresses that Diana took in," the man's blue eyes twinkled with a friendly light. She couldn't place it, but she could swear she's seen this guy before. He looked _really_ familiar.

"Diana? Oh, the woman with black hair and green eyes," Sera guessed.

"Right you are, lass. She helped you into her home when she found your friend here dragging you into the village."

"Right, right," Sera glanced to Neo. "Well, mister…?"

"Money."

Sera stared at him. "'Mister Money'?"

Mister Money sighed, "Just call me Moe."

"Right… Well, Moe, I was hoping you could tell me if there was a fast way outta town. An airship, maybe?" Sera asked, but even as she said it, she knew it was hopeless. There was no way this little place had any flying transportation.

Moe laughed. A loud, boisterous laugh that boomed across town. "I'm afraid not, miss. There's not much in the way of transportation around these parts."

Sera sighed and hung her head. "I didn't think so."

"My, that's an interesting piece…" Moe muttered. Sera picked her head up to see that his eyes focused on her hip, where Silver Linings rested in its holster. The amnesiac drew the weapon for him to see.

"Got it from a weapon shop in Vale. Guy that made it is named—"

"Tarkus," Moe guessed.

Sera blinked, then nodded. "How'd you know?"

Mr. Money's eyes gleamed. "That's my boy. Tarkus! Ah, he grew up to be a fine weaponsmith. He has a shop in Vale, then?"

That's why he looked familiar. He was the father of the weaponsmith at the shop Coco had taken her to just before Vale fell.

" _Had._ Uh, have you heard about Vale recently?" Sera asked carefully. The man shook his head, but worry lines etched on his face.

"Has something happened?"

Huh, Sera thought. News travels slow around here.

But reluctantly, she told the man about the attack on Vale and Beacon. Once she was finished, he had to sit in a chair so his knees wouldn't buckle.

"Vale… I never thought I'd see the day. Is Tarkus all right? Is my boy okay?" He asked, looking into Sera's eyes for answers. She glanced at Neo, who was watching to see what she would say.

Sera shook her head. "I don't know. It's possible that he's still alive, a lot of people made it out."

Moe's eyes dropped to the floor.

"Your son's a tough cookie," Sera said. "I could tell just by meeting him. I doubt he let a few Grimm take him down." But even as she said that, she couldn't know for sure. The situation in Vale had gotten _really_ bad. It was possible that he was still alive, but still…

Moe lifted his head, the gleam in his eyes returning. "He certainly is, lass. I'd wager that he's on his way home right now."

Sera smiled. "I bet he is, mister."

He held his hands out, "May I?"

Shrugging, she placed Silver Linings in his hands. Moe inspected the weapon along its barrel and investigated every inch of its cool metal.

"Damn boy," he mumbled. "I _told_ him that engravings are useless. They provide no tactical advantage whatsoever."

Sera cracked a smile. "I like the engravings, sir. They give it character."

Moe's eye twinkled and he handed the gun back to her, holding the hilt out for her to take. "Perhaps you're right, miss."

"Sera," she held her hand out. Moe smiled and shook it. His hands were rough and felt like iron from working the forges.

"Maybe there is a way I can help with your transportation problem, lass," he smiled kindly.

. . .

"Oh," Sera muttered. "my Dust."

Moe crossed his arms proudly. He'd led Sera and Neo around the back of the shop and to a small garage. Neo's eyes widened at the machine that resided inside.

"You can't be serious," Sera stared at Moe. "This thing is an antique! There's no way I could put it through the all the stuff that's _definitely_ going to happen on the way to the ocean."

Moe shrugged. "Eh, why not? It's not like I get to drive it anymore. 'Sides, if you don't take it, it's just going to sit and rot in here."

Sera shook her head in disbelief. Sitting inside the small garage was a motorcycle. An _old_ motorcycle that nobody even drove anymore. Despite its age, it looked brand new, as shiny as Yang's bumblebee.

It was black with a wide seat and chrome metal handlebars that stuck up about a foot so that she'd have to have her hands at head level. Along the side of it was a thin silver stripe. Its chrome Dust cap gleamed in the light. Its single headlight resided on the front of it. Sera knew what this motorcycle was—loud, unsafe, and going to be _extremely_ fun.

She grinned, "I… I don't know what to say. I've only just met you, but _thank_ you, Moe."

Mr. Money smiled and jingled a set of keys with an anvil keychain, then tossed them to Sera. "Just tell me when you're leaving, and I'll have her ready for ya."

"Her?" Sera asked. Moe grinned proudly.

"That's right," he crossed his thick arms. "Her name's Bellona."

"Bellona…" she savored the name. Sera looked back at Neo. The mute girl had an eager look on her face, like she was ready to leave.

"Be back in an hour," Sera told the blacksmith.

"So soon?" He asked.

Sera nodded. "I have people I'm trying to catch up to. From Beacon."

He nodded gravely. "I'll look her over and make sure she's ready to ride."

"Thank you, Moe. I bet Tarkus is proud to have you as a dad."

The blacksmith smiled wide then, a pleased look in his eye. Then he said, "Go get your stuff and get outta here before I get attached to you, lass."

Sera nodded. "Come on, Neo. We have friends to find."

. . .

In forty-five minutes, Sera and Neo were packed. Unfortunately, it was then that Sera learned that her cedar walking stick had been destroyed in the fight. But on the plus side, her pack was now filled with spare clothes, a medical pack, and enough food to last a week. Since Neo's clothes were already ruined, she changed into an outfit similar to her usual one, except it was white and black rather than ice-cream colors.

The woman, Diana, said a hasty goodbye when Sera and Neo grabbed their things. She might've praised her village for its friendliness, but she seemed rather unwelcoming. Sera shrugged it off.

Now, Sera and Neo were standing in front of the open garage that contained the motorcycle Bellona. Moe was there too to see them off.

"Fueled, maintained, and ready to ride," he announced. He was holding a piece of leather across his arm, but Sera dismissed it. Her eyes were on Bellona.

"I can't thank you enough…" her voice faltered. Neo nodded her head rapidly, showing that she felt the same.

"Don't sweat it, lass. You've given me hope that I might see my boy again, someday." He said coolly.

Sera fastened her old sword onto the side of the motorcycle and grabbed the handlebars. The grip was soft and felt like it was made for her hand.

"One more thing," Moe said. Sera looked up to see him holding the piece of leather with both hands, except it wasn't a piece of leather. It was a black leather motorcycle jacket, with zippers on the sleeves, zip chest pockets that would reside on her bosom, and a strap on the left collar so that she could button it to the right collar.

It looked designed for warmth, with soft-looking red plaid cloth on the inside.

"You shouldn't have," Sera said, but she was staring at the jacket.

"Just another gift," he shrugged. "And watch this—it's Dust infused so it can do…this!" he announced, then revealed a small shirt button on the inside of one sleeve. Before her eyes, the jacket changed color until the black leather was now white, and the red plaid was purple.

"That," Sera said. "Is _extremely_ cool."

Moe smiled like he wasn't used to praise, which was odd since he was a blacksmith. "It's no big deal. It's for extra camouflage in this snow, plus the white and purple match your and your friend's eyes and hair."

He handed the jacket to her, but Sera lunged forward and wrapped the large man in a bear hug. When she pulled back, she stripped off the jacket Raven gave her and slipped on the leather one.

"Now, get outta here," Moe ordered. "Go get your friends."

Sera nodded and mounted the bike. She turned the key and kicked down the clutch. Bellona roared to life, growling like an angry Ursa. Neo slipped on behind her, wrapping her thing arms around Sera's waist.

After walking the motorcycle out of its garage, Sera took one last look at Moe, then sped off down the snowy road. The children cheered and waved bye to Neo, who smiled tried not to fall of the bike.

I'm comin' __for you, Sera thought, mentally calling out to her friends.

 _ **An interesting chapter, to be sure. Hopefully it was enjoyable to read. Also, the closest comparison to the new motorcycle I can think of is the Zombie Chopper from Grand Theft Auto V.**_

 _ **What adventure awaits Sera and Neo next on their journey to regroup with RWBY and the others? Find out next time on the next episode of Dragon Ball Z. (I'm sorry)**_


	14. Traveling On

"Looks like that village is another few days ride from here," Sera commented as she inspected the map laid out on the ground. Neo popped a handful of cashews into her mouth and looked over Sera's shoulder.

They were camped out in a small clearing, a campfire crackling in the center of a circle of stones. Sera's new motorcycle, Bellona, stood a few yards away from the fire with the support of its kickstand. Sera still wasn't sure _why_ Mr. Money had given it to her, but she knew she was going to take good care of it.

Sera laid stone on each corner of the map to keep it down and sat back. Her eyes scanned near the top, just below where the ocean met Mistral's border. She'd used a red marker to circle the town that Qrow and the others were supposed to be heading and kept track of her and Neo's progress by drawing short lines so that it looked like they were following a treasure map.

Neo dug around in her pack and pulled out her scroll. _How do you know they'll be there?_ She typed.

"Because they _have_ to be," Sera muttered. "If they're not, well… we're pretty much screwed."

 _We could run away and start up a new crime syndicate,_ Neo mused.

"This isn't the time for jokes," Sera scolded and folded up the map. Neo gave a half shrug and popped more cashews into her mouth. Her hair and eyes still matched Sera's, and she wasn't sure if it was more flattering or creepy. She thought Neo would revert back when she had kept calling her "Mini Me," but apparently not.

The sun was starting to light up the sky, so they took that as their cue to start packing up. They doused the fire and climbed onto Bellona with their packs.

The motorcycle roared to life and sped down the snow-covered road, kicking up white powder in its wake. Admittedly, Sera loved this motorcycle. She felt like she was born to ride it. Plus, it'd probably make Yang pretty jealous.

Gods, what was she going to tell Yang and the others? _"Hey, sorry I took so long, Yang's mom knocked me and Cinder into an abyss and I had to escape from Salem's castle with the help of the same woman who inadvertently sent me there! Then I spent about a week there getting to know Raven and her band of merry men (and women)! Me and Neo the Wonder Mute fought off a bunch of Grimm and a DRAGON, then I woke up in a remote village! Now I'm here! Isn't that great?"_

She shook away the thought. They'd be happy to see that she wasn't dead. After all, they _did_ think she was dead.

Neo tapped on her shoulder three times-the sign that Sera had given her for when there was trouble—and Sera hit the brakes. Bellona slid sideways to a halt, and Sera immediately scanned the area for trouble.

"What is it?" Sera whispered. Neo didn't answer, but she did hold up two fingers in front of the amnesiac's face. She'd spotted two potential threats.

Sera slid off Bellona and unsheathed her old sword from the motorcycle's side. The night after they left Hurosaki, she'd had a dream about her past and remembered the weapon's name—Lunar Scarlet. It reminded her of Crimson Eclipse so much, she wondered if she'd unconsciously named Qrow's gifted sword after this one.

Neo drew rested her parasol on her shoulder and stood to Sera's back.

"All right," Sera announced. "You can come out now. No point in hiding anymore."

Nothing happened for a solid ten seconds. She was about to turn to Neo and scold her for wasting their time, but then two figures stepped out from opposite trees. Sera faced one while Neo faced the other. The bad part was that they both recognized them.

"Well," Mercury said coolly. "Not bad, though it took you a few miles to catch on."

"Yeah, well, the snow probably soaked up your smell." Sera replied. A smooth female voice rang out.

"Funny."

Sera recognized it as Emerald, Cinder's other henchman. Or rather, henchwoman.

"So, where's Cinder? I know Emerald can't travel very far away from her without suffering from withdrawal." Sera quipped.

"I wouldn't be making jokes, given the situation you're in," Mercury sneered. Then his eyes narrowed at Neo. 

" _Neo?_ My gods, it's true. You're helping _them_ now."

"Holy hell, it _is_ her. Hard to recognize her without that dreadful ice cream get up," Emerald added. Neo trembled against Sera's back, most likely in anger.

"I wouldn't get the psycho mad, you two," Sera warned.

"Or what? Roman's little helper is going to attack? I don't know why Cinder allowed her along with us when we infiltrated Beacon, she did _nothing_ helpful."

Neo grit her teeth and Sera gripped Lunar Scarlet tighter. She could tell the fight was about to kick off. "Well, she's certainly been helpful to little ole' me. Haven't you, Neo?" Sera glared at Mercury. She felt Neo nod, then Sera heard the sound of the parasol's hidden blade ejecting.

Mercury got into a fighting stance and Emerald's pistols cocked.

"Fight time," Sera muttered. Neo sighed, as if the prospect of battling her old companions bored her.

Then they charged. Sera went straight for Mercury and slashed her sword in a wide arc. The gray-haired boy did a backflip and blasted her with his built-in weapons on his legs.

She slid across the snow and rushed him again. Mercury sent a flurry of silver bolts of energy towards her, but Sera deflected them easily. After getting within striking range, she crouched and thrust her sword forward, repeatedly jabbing at his legs. Mercury was forced to dodge backwards to avoid the sword strikes, but Sera predicted that. She followed up with an overhead swing and brought the blade of Lunar Scarlet down onto his right shoulder.

Mercury groaned and went down for the moment. Sera turned to see Neo and Emerald in a flurry of strikes. Guns were firing, blades were crossing, blows were being exchanged, but neither of them relented. What momentarily startled Sera was that Neo was smiling.

"Hey," a voice said. Sera turned and saw a boot coming towards her face. The kick was expertly thrown. Mercury's boot hit the bottom of Sera's chin and sent her upwards and into the air.

Fortunately, she recovered fast. After twisting her body in midair and landing in a crouched position, she rose to smirk at the gray-haired boy.

"That the best you could do?" Sera teased.

"No," Mercury admitted. "But it did the trick."

Before Sera could ask what he meant, she suddenly wasn't there. The forest darkened until she stood surrounded by complete blackness. Mercury disappeared from existence, and when she turned around, Neo and Emerald were gone too.

"What-?" Sera asked as she turned her head from side to side, trying to find any source of light. That's when a voice spoke from behind her.

"How could you leave us?"

Sera tensed. She knew that voice. It belonged to the same overly energetic child of a team leader she had come to adore.

She turned around to see Ruby Rose standing there, a long scratch down her cheek and blood seeping from a fatal wound on her gut. Ruby's eyes were full of hurt and betrayal, and it took all Sera had to not collapse on the spot.

"Ruby, I—"

"Where were you? We wandered in the snow and suffered while you spent your time cozying up with a bunch of bandits!"

"No, Rubes, I tried to find you all. I hurried as fast as I could," Sera's voice broke. Blood dripped from Ruby's wound and onto the black ground.

"I thought you were our friend, Sera. But you're like _her._ Just another monster," Ruby faded to blackness. Sera fell to her knees, her head in her hands.

"What's your problem?" A new voice rang out. Sera looked up to see Weiss standing there, her arms crossed.

"Weiss?" Sera blinked. What was going on?

"I finally escape Atlas to rejoin you, and you abandon us? What kind of a teammate does that?" she berated.

"I didn't abandon anyone, Ice Queen," Sera seethed. The former heiress's blue eyes shone in the dark.

"No? Then where were you when we needed you?" And with that, Weiss faded as well.

Sera shakily got to her feet. What the hell was happening? How'd she get here? It looks like a dream.

"Weiss never trusted you, you know," another voice said from behind her. Sera turned to see Blake's amber eyes glaring at her. "Looks like she was right from the start."

Okay, _that_ was weird. Blake saying that Weiss was right?

"And what do you think, Blake?" Sera asked her. During her brief stay at Beacon, Blake had become a good friend to Sera. They used brew tea together and talk of a better world, where the Faunus were truly liberated.

"It doesn't matter what I think, does it? It only mattered what she thought," Blake replied slyly.

"Who?" Sera blinked. Then Blake faded, and someone took her place. Flowing blond hair, lilac eyes, and a disapproving expression.

"Me, Snowball," Yang glowered.

"Yang," Sera's shoulder's relaxed. She'd be nice to her, right?

"First you up and leave us at Haven, then you link up with my _mom?_ What were you _thinking?"_

"I had to. You don't know what I went through in that castle," Sera replied, her fists clenched.

"Maybe not," Yang smirked. "But was it worth…this?"

"Worth what?" Sera blinked. Slowly, the Yang she knew transformed. Her blond hair remained, but her skin paled to chalk white, her eyes glowed a sinister red, and the whites of her eyes darkened to black.

Sera took a shaky step back as black veins formed on the sides of her once attractive face. She smiled, and the rest of their team appeared beside her. They all looked the same. Only their hair remained normal rather than changing to white. Except for Weiss, of course.

Sera's heartrate quickened and her breath hitched. They smiled simultaneously, and it made Sera's skin crawl and sent a shiver down her spine.

Another figure appeared behind them. It was her. A perfect clone of Sera, except all Salemified. Evil Sera grinned, her glowing red eyes fixated on the original. She passed a hand over her Ruby, then Blake, then Weiss, then finally Yang, except she seemed to linger over Yang momentarily. One by one, they turned to dust until all that remained was a heap of clean white bones and the pile of ash that used to be their skin.

Evil Sera smiled, then she too crumbled to dust.

Tears spilled from Sera's eyes as she looked down at what remained of her team. The skulls seemed to grin at her. Then, most creepy of all, a sinister and ancient voice filled her head.

 _We, the bones of all you've abandoned, await yours._

Sera screamed and fell onto her side, clutching her head. She sobbed uncontrollably.

This can't be real, she told herself. This has to be a dream.

Then something brought itself to the forefront of her brain. Something Coco Adel had told her after her fight in the Vytal Festival against Mercury and Emerald.

Or an illusion…

Sera sat up immediately and slapped herself and pinched her arm like she was trying to wake herself from a nightmare. Given her situation, it might as well have been a nightmare.

Wake up! She scolded herself.

No way it'd work, but she thought of her team. Their smiles and laughter, the sight of them all in Beacon's cafeteria and in their dorm. She sat with her legs crossed and squeezed her eye shut.

She envisioned her unconscious body laying in the snow, and soon enough, muffled voices could be heard just above her.

"…fighting me. How is she resisting? No one has broken from this before," a feminine voice asked.

"I don't know. Just knock her down a few pegs so we can get these two and leave," Mercury said.

"I'm trying!"

A waver of concentration on Emerald's part. That was all Sera needed. She surged upward, her eyes shooting open to see blue sky—no more blackness.

"What?!" Mercury exclaimed. Sera shot to her feet and swung her fist towards the sound of his voice. She connected, then Sera heard the sound of wood cracking.

She turned to see Emerald fumbling to aim her duel pistols, but Sera was faster. She surged forward and grabbed her wrists, slamming the dark-skinned woman into the snow.

"You worm!" Emerald cursed at her.

"Heard that before," she mumbled and held her arm behind her. If she moved, Sera would snap it. Emerald wisely stayed still, her cheek pressed to the cold snow.

"If you _ever_ try something like that again…" Sera pulled back on her arm slightly, eliciting a pained scream from Emerald. "Like what your _friend_ did to mine, you're gonna lose an arm."

"Emerald!" Mercury shouted, more in outrage than worry.

"Don't try it, or she's gonna find it's not going to be easy to use _both_ her weapons anymore," Sera threatened through gritted teeth. This wasn't like her, but she couldn't help it. Emerald made her see things that _really_ upset her. How she even did it, she didn't know. As far as she'd known, Emerald could only manipulate the area around her victims. She didn't know she could make them pass out and control their nightmares. Maybe she'd picked up some new tricks.

"Stay back, Mercury," Emerald warned through false bravery.

"Now," Sera asked. "Where's Neo?"

Emerald used her free hand to point in front of Sera. She picked her eyes up to see the ice cream girl laying in the snow, her eyes squeezed shut as she tossed and turned in her nightmares.

"What are you gonna do now?" Mercury asked. "You can't attack me without letting go of her."

"You sure about that?" Sera smirked.

"Don't do anything, Mercury," Emerald pleaded.

"Come on Em, she's bluffing."

Mercury couldn't see the look in Sera's eyes. Emerald could. Her red eyes trembled with fear.

"No, she's not bluffing."

Sera smirked. "Now, you two are going to deliver a message to my _mother_ for me…" Sera stated.

. . .

Sera watched as Emerald and Mercury fled down the road. She immediately grabbed Neo and got onto Bellona, the shorter girl sitting between her and the handlebars.

She smirked at what she'd told the two criminals to tell Salem. A short and simple message, really: _**Stay away from me and my friends, or I'm going to rip you apart piece by piece.**_

She knew it wouldn't work, but it was nice to throw Salem's plan in her face.

Twisting the throttle on Bellona, the bike popped up on one wheel and sped down the road faster.

A village should be nearby, she thought.

. . .

The rumble of Bellona's engine drew a crowd in the small village. It was smaller than Hurosaki, if that was possible. A tiny expanse of Mistralian buildings with an old cracked concrete walkway down the center. A few dozen people—families of men, women, and children—stood outside to watch who was entering their town.

Before they even arrived, Neo had woken up from her Emerald-induced nap. The mute girl loosely held onto Sera's waist while the motorcycle inched down the concrete.

They probably looked pitiful. Sera and Neo had been riding for three days nonstop, only stopping to rest and eat. And after their encounter with Mercury and Emerald, they likely looked pretty rough.

A middle-aged woman with graying hair and a dark kimono approached them, her loose sleeves hiding her clasped hands. Sera brought Bellona to a halt and placed a foot on the ground to hold the vehicle up.

"Hello," Sera greeted calmly.

"Greetings," the woman looked them up and down warily. "What brings you to our quaint little village?"

"Just passing through," Sera responded. The woman's shoulders relaxed.

"I see," she let out a relieved sigh.

"But," Sera said, and the woman met her eyes immediately. "We could use a place to rest for a little while. We've been riding since we left Hurosaki. I'm Sera, and this is Neo."

The older woman glanced between the two of them. "I…suppose that's all right. How long?"

Sera looked back at Neo, who was leaning onto her back for support. The mute girl looked exhausted. Sera was too. She felt like her bones were made of sand, and her legs were numb from riding for so long.

"A few hours, at most."

The woman's eyes drifted to the red and black sword strapped to Bellona's side, then to Silver Linings on Sera's hip.

"Don't worry," Sera told her. "We're huntresses."

She sighed in relief again. "Apologies. Times aren't what they used to be."

"Tell me about it," Sera grumbled. A small smile played on the woman's lips, then she gestured for them to follow.

"Come. You can rest in my home," then she turned to the small crowd of people still gathered. "These two are huntresses!" She announced. "They'll be resting here for a few hours, then continuing on their way."

The crowd murmured to each other and slowly dispersed. Sera inched her motorcycle behind the older woman, watching her warily.

After a ten second trek, they stopped at a small hut that looked about as old as Ozpin.

"You can leave your vehicle out here, no one will bother it," she promised as she opened the door. Blissful smells wafted out—homemade cookies, the smell of burning wood, and lavender.

Neo dismounted Bellona with the speed of Jell-O, then trudged inside like she was sleep walking. Sera kicked out the motorcycle's stand and shut off the engine. After making sure the bike was stable, she followed her friend inside, then the woman closed the door behind them.

"Hungry?" she asked kindly. Sera hadn't realized it, but she was actually starving. As soon as the woman said that, her stomach sat up begged like a Beowolf.

"More than you know," Sera sighed. Neo made a grumbling sound and she looked up, embarrassed.

"My, I don't think I've heard a Grimm growl like that, much less a stomach," the woman said as she disappeared into what Sera assumed was the kitchen. She called, "Please, make yourselves at home!"

Sera looked over to the crackling fireplace and sat in front of it, warming her hands. Neo plopped down next to her and leaned onto her shoulder.

"Tired?" Sera chuckled. Neo nodded, her eyelids half-closed. The amnesiac nodded towards a comfortable-looking couch, "Take the couch. I'll wake you when we're leaving."

Neo gave another nod, then went over to the couch and collapsed.

The woman appeared in the doorway with a tray carrying a plate of fresh-baked cookies and cups of steaming liquid. She seemed nice enough, but Sera never dropped her guard for a second. 

The woman sat the tray in Sera's lap then looked over to Neo, who was snoring peacefully with her face buried in the cushion.

"Are you two related?" she asked. Sera looked over her shoulder at Neo's messy still-white hair.

"Yeah, sisters," she lied.

"I thought so. You two look just alike," she said as she sat beside Sera on the floor, making the huntress a bit uncomfortable. She wanted to laugh at the woman's comment, but she bit her tongue.

After nearly a minute of silence, besides the crackling fire and Neo's snores, the woman stated, "I'm Mira."

"Nice to meet you," Sera replied, taking a bite of a cookie. Ruby would love these. They were warm and gooey, with just the right amount of chocolate chip. The thought saddened her, because she still wasn't sure _when_ she'd see her team again.

"I bet you've come a long way to get here," Reyna looked over to her.

Sera chuckled. "You have no idea."

"So, where from?"

"Vale."

"Oh," Mira's voice saddened. "Such a tragedy."

Sera nodded, her eyes never leaving the fireplace. Something was nagging at the back of her mind. The villagers' expressions were sleepy and dazed, as if they were sleep walking more than anything else. Come to think of it, Neo hadn't been particularly drowsy until they neared the village… It had to be a coincidence, right? She'd never heard of anything such as this happening before, not unless it was someone's semblance. But how could a semblance do that to an entire town? Sera was sure she was just paranoid.

"Must've been a hard journey, coming all the way out to the middle of Mistral like this," Mira said. Sera nodded and sipped tea from a warm mug. Mira smiled, and that made Sera a little nervous.

"I'm looking for people," Sera stated coolly.

Mira frowned. "Friends or enemies?"

"Definitely friends," she replied. Her voice slightly slurred, but she didn't think anything of it.

"What kind?" Mira asked. Why was she asking all this? It's not like she cared. Once Neo got rested up, they'd be outta here.

"Other huntsmen and huntresses," Sera replied, refusing to say more. Then something rather odd happened. A wave of nausea washed over her, and she dropped the mug in her hands. Her vision swam. Her body felt numb. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mira smile.

The older woman stood stiffly. "It's not everyday that someone strong-willed enough comes into my village. Especially not someone like _you."_

"What…" Sera mumbled. "What'd you do to me?" Then her eyes widened. The tea. This witch spiked her drink!

Sera tried to stand, but that was a mistake. She felt like she'd just been turned upside down really fast. She stumbled towards Mira, her fingers fumbling to draw Silver Linings.

"Who—who are you?" Sera stuttered. Her vision doubled, then tripled. Mira smiled. A weird, creepy smile that would've sent a shiver up Sera's spine—if she could feel it.

"Ah, young huntress."

Sera's knees buckled, and she fell onto her chest. She struggled to look up at the smiling form of the formerly nice lady that fed her cookies and tea.

"Your mother has many allies."

Then Sera blacked out.

. . .

The scene she woke up to was, in a word, not pretty. Sera and Neo were bound and gagged, sitting back to back on the cold ground outside. Neo sighed in relief when she saw that Sera was awake.

The amnesiac tried to speak, but the wad of cloth in her mouth wouldn't let her form words. She looked off to the side, her eyes widening at their surroundings.

The few dozen villagers shuffled in place in a circle around Sera, Neo, and a large bonfire. Mira spread her arms wide, a triumphant grin plastered on her face.

"Tonight is the night, my friends!" She announced to the villagers, who didn't do much besides moan and groan like zombies. What had this witch done to them?

Sera fought against her bonds, only to find that she was bound in thick chain, unlike Neo who was tied with rope. Apparently, Mira knew about her enhanced strength, but how? What else did she know about her?

She glared at the middle-aged witch, but Mira didn't falter. She grinned, "Tonight is when we kill these two traitors and rejoin our Mistress Salem!" She stated proudly.

Guess Salem really does want my life now, Sera thought. She looked around frantically, trying to find anything they could use to their advantage. Behind the villagers, she spotted Bellona in the same spot she parked it. But at the moment, the motorcycle might as well be at the top of Beacon Tower.

Her eyes scanned herself and Neo. Somehow, Neo had wriggled one of her hands out from behind her back, and she seemed to be trying to reach her back pocket. Sera shifted her own arms slightly, and she would've grinned if it didn't have the chance of alerting Mira. Sera could feel something on her wrist digging into her waist: Ember Celica. Mira didn't know that it was actually a deadly weapon rather than some jewelry piece.

Sera tried to speak again, but the gag muffled it. But it did the trick. Mira glanced over at the amnesiac, a malicious smile spreading on her face. Sera tried to throw some pretty choice cuss words her way that would've gotten her a one-way ticket to Ozpin's office. Mira seemed to acknowledge that she was insulting her.

The witch marched over and ripped the gag out of her mouth. " _What_ was that?"

"I said," Sera flexed her sore jaw. "You know that Salem's just going to kick you to the curb, right? And why shouldn't she? You're just some crackpot witch in the middle of nowhere."

Mira's face tightened with rage, but Sera smiled. "And why would you kill _me?_ Didn't she tell you she wants me to 'reclaim my rightful place' or whatever? You'd just anger her by offing me."

"Because," Mira chuckled. "You made it _quite_ clear that you weren't going to go to her side, didn't you? Now she's done with you. Some daughter you turned out to be. Yes, you _were_ meant for great things, but you botched that up. And now look at you, about to be killed off by some _crackpot witch in the middle of nowhere."_

Sera glared at her. She wasn't mad at her. She was ticked off that Salem decided it was better to kill her off than to at least _try_ to keep winning her to the immortal's side.

The amnesiac grinned, which seemed to be off-putting to Mira. "See, that's the thing, I'm _not_ about to be killed by some likely power-hungry witch in the middle of nowhere."

"And why's that?" Mira gestured to the ten-foot tall bonfire, its heat had melted the snow long ago and left nothing but wet green grass in a perfect circle around it. "I have you surrounded."

Sera quickly stole a glance down. She saw Neo's hand giving a _thumbs-up._

"Because," she smiled. "Neo."

Mira blinked. "Neo?"

Neo sprung into action. The ropes that had been tightly restricting all movement were now laying in a heap on the grass.

" _What?"_ Mira exclaimed, but by then Neo had already kicked her in the side of the head. She ripped the gag out of her mouth with an annoyed expression, like: _Seriously? What was the point of gagging_ me?

The zombie villagers seemed to notice that their witch was down. With a chorus of outraged grunts, they shuffled forward.

Oh great, Sera thought. Here comes the horde.

"Try not to hurt the villagers. Just make your way to the bike so we can get the hell outta here." She thrusted her arm forth, transforming Ember Celica into its true form. Neo pointed at Sera and raised an eyebrow. "I'm going to get our stuff back. And to beat up a witch."

Neo grinned, apparently pleased by her answer. The mute girl took off, weaving through the ocean of zombified villagers and towards Bellona.

Someone grabbed Sera's shoulder and she turned to kick back a dazed man. He stumbled and fell, but the villagers were closing in.

She jumped straight up and over their heads to get a better view of the village, and to see if she could spot the woman behind all this.

Then she saw her. Mira ducked into her little hut and slammed the door behind her. With an annoyed sigh, Sera made her way to it after she returned to the ground. She pushed and shoved villagers out of the way, but more just took their places. Eventually, she made it, and kicked the door open.

After slamming it closed and shoving a tall cabinet in front of the door, Sera turned to look for any immediate threats. The room was empty. Mira was nowhere to be seen, but that didn't ease Sera.

She took a step forward, the floorboards creaking under her foot. Sera spotted her sword, pistol, and Neo's parasol sitting by the fireplace. Without hesitation, she made her way to the weapons.

That was her mistake.

As soon as she made it to the couch, Mira jumped out from behind a bookcase and slammed a frying pan into her face.

Sera stumbled back, clutching her face and now-throbbing head.

"A frying pan? Really?" Sera groaned. Mira smiled and hefted her deadly weapon.

"It's a shame you're not going to see the world that Salem plans to create from the ashes after she destroys Vale and all the other kingdoms."

"Oh yeah? It's a shame you're not going to, either," Sera raised her fists, Ember Celica shining in the light of the fireplace.

"You could've been great, you know. It's all here," Mira tapped a finger to her temple. "In your head."

"Blah, blah, blah. World domination and true forms and all that useless shit. Can we fight now? I really wanna put my fist into your face, lady."

Mira smirked. "Good luck trying tha—" But suddenly, a golden gauntlet slammed into her teeth. Mira launched backwards and collided with the wall. The witch slid into a seated position, a steady stream of blood pouring from her nose.

Sera hadn't even allowed her to finish talking. She'd used her semblance to get in a well-deserving blow.

"The thing is," Sera cocked Ember Celica, a single shotgun shell clattering to the floor. "I'm sick of hearing the same thing from you villain types. It's all repetitive and boring." She walked towards the bleeding Mira, who was holding her arms up as if to shield herself.

"P-please! I'll do anything!" She begged.

"Would you let the villagers go?" Sera asked as she grabbed the witch by her hair and pulled her up.

"Yes! Look!" She clapped her hands together. "They're free from my semblance! Please, just take your belongings and leave!"

Sera's scowl relaxed, and she released the witch. She turned and made her way to the fireplace, but she didn't see the smirk on Mira's lips before she did so.

Just as Sera buckled her gun belt around her waist and slid Silver Linings into its holster, something grabbed her arms.

"You idiot! Do you really thing I'd just give up like that? No, Salem will be extremely pleased with my capturing of you!" Mira shouted. And where her arms had been were now black limbs with clawed hands. They were impossibly long and thin. She had Grimm arms like Cinder, except these were more similar to a Nuckelavee's arms.

"What?!" Sera grunted. The arms wrapped around her arms and torso and slammed her into the ceiling.

"You can thank your mother for these arms—perfect for teaching upstarts like you a lesson!" Mira gloated.

"Let me guess," Sera told her. "You didn't have arms before, did you?"

"No, I did not," Mira grimaced.

Oh great, Sera thought. This is the part where she tells me her tragic past.

"It's been nine years since that horrible night," Mira said in a story-telling voice.

Oh, gods, Sera mentally groaned.

"My family and I were in a horrible accident—I was the only survivor. But the cost—"

"Was your arms," Sera finished. "Can we finish this or are you going to bore me to death, woman?"

Mira scowled. "You insolent brat."

"I get that a lot."

"Now you die, and I can secure my place at Salem's table!" Mira's arms tightened. Sera stiffened as the arms closed tightly. She could feel her ribs straining under the pressure.

"See," Sera managed. "That doesn't sit well with me. What's the fun in dying," she readied the trigger on Ember Celica, "when you can just blow up some witch and continue on your way?"

A shotgun blast rang out and Mira screamed. Ember Celica's round had completely eviscerated Mira's Grimm arms, and Sera fell to the floor face-first. After picking herself back up, she charged the witch and slammed her to the ground.

"Now," Sera told her. "Me and my friend are going to leave. One wrong move and, well, let's just say it won't be pretty."

Mira was sobbing. Sera didn't care. She considered finishing her off permanently, but that didn't sit right with her. Killing another person, especially like this—she'd have nightmares about it forever. So instead, Sera released her, grabbed her sword, and made her way to the door.

Mira looked up, her teeth clenched and her eyes blazing with anger. The elderly witch rose to her knees.

"How dare you…" she grumbled. Sera halted and looked over her shoulder. "How dare you do this to me?!" Mira got to her feet and ran at Sera. The huntress wasn't sure what this witch planned to do without arms, though. Before she could think about it too much, a green aura surrounded Mira's body.

"Now you're mine!" She announced.

Sera let her approach. The huntress's face was completely neutral. At the last possible second, Sera stepped aside. She drew Silver Linings with such speed, the human eye could barely catch it.

Sera immediately fired a round into Mira's side. The Dust round penetrated her aura and buried itself into her ribs. Sera hit something vital, she knew it.

Mira stumbled and her breathing became labored. Blood dripped onto the wooden floor of the hut.

"You really have been through a lot, haven't you?" Sera asked, her voice a hushed whisper.

"More…" Mira winced. "than you could ever know."

Sera holstered Silver Linings and grabbed her sword scabbard, slipping the weapon over her shoulder, and held Neo's parasol in her hand. Mira crumpled to the floor, clutching her side tightly. More blood pooled around her, staining her robes.

The huntress opened the front door and looked down at the elder woman. "I'm sorry." She said, then stepped into the doorway. She made it halfway out before Mira's voice stopped her.

"Sera."

The amnesiac looked over her shoulder. Mira was meeting her gaze, except all of the fire and evil light in her eyes had been replaced by warmth. "Thank you. Now, I can rest, and be reunited with my family."

Sera nodded, then stepped outside. The cold wind slapped her in the face, blowing her hair to the side. After a quick sweep over the village, she could see that the villagers had seemingly returned to normal. Instead of shuffling around like zombies, they wandered around in a daze like they weren't sure where they were.

Bellona sat a few feet away from the hut, and Neo was leaning against it. Her arms were crossed, and she was watching Sera expectantly.

Sera tossed the frilly pink parasol to Neo, who caught it out of reflex and smirked. After Neo stepped out of the way, Sera swung her leg over Bellona and took her spot behind its handlebars. She kickstarted the motorcycle, and Neo got on behind her.

"Now," Sera muttered. "Let's get the hell out of here."

. . .

Five hours. That's how long it took for something else to screw up Sera's day. First, she gets ambushed by the villainous duo of Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black and they give her enough nightmare fuel to last a lifetime. Then, they get tricked, knocked out, and tied up by a middle-aged witch, whom Sera had to kill and turned out to not be as evil as she'd originally thought. And _now,_ a freaking horde of Grimm was surrounding her and Neo.

They just showed up out of nowhere. Sera hadn't even seen them despite the ungodly amount of them that was there. One minute she's just driving down the road. The heat from the engine warmed her legs and just cruising down the snowy dirt path relaxed her. Then, out of nowhere, she saw nothing but black, and she slammed on the brakes. Bellona slid to a halt on the road and Sera kicked the kickstand out for the bike to lean on.

Neo hopped off the motorcycle while Sera got off in a much more laid-back manner. She rested her old sword, Lunar Scarlet, on her shoulder and sighed at the crowd of Beowolves surrounding her.

"Really?" Sera asked. "Just couldn't stay away, could ya?"

Then as one, they charged. Sera and Neo leaped into action. In seconds, they were swarmed by dozens of the wolf Grimm.

Sera swung her sword in wide arcs, killing several Grimm with a single slice. Neo jumped and dodged around while stabbing and delivering sharp blows to the Beowolves with her parasol.

The amnesiac would alternate between her sword and gun, shooting or blasting apart Grimm with ease. She jumped into the air and fired round after round into the skulls of her opponents.

After seeing a perfect opportunity when several Beowolves ran in a line towards her, she threw her sword at them. The weapon spun end over end in a horizontal fashion, like the world's most dangerous frisbee, and sliced the Grimm to pieces at the waist.

Sera kicked another Grimm in the side and fired a round from Silver Linings into its skull, then made her way towards her sword.

And so it went. She quickly got into her familiar groove when fighting Grimm: slice, dodge, kick, slice, jab, roll, shoot, stop time, stab, repeat. In what felt like only a few minutes, nothing remained of the horde besides several dozen mounds of dissolving shadow.

Sera stood in the middle of it all, holding her sword at her side and panting. Several beads of sweat trickled down her forehead. She glanced down at herself and groaned. The new jacket that Moe Money had given to her with Bellona was in shreds. It looked like it'd been put in a blender. Which, in a way, it was. Her pants were tattered as well, and there was a hole on the front of her shirt where a claw had scratched her.

Man, she thought. I really need a way to keep my clothes from being ruined.

At least her aura had protected her body from injury. Not even a scratch marred her skin.

Neo leaned against Bellona for support. She was just as exhausted as Sera now. Well, maybe not so much. Sera had used her semblance quite a bit to avoid attacks and deliver blows of her own.

"Come on, Neo," Sera made her way over to the motorcycle. " _Now,_ let's get out of here."

 _ **Yeah I know, this was basically just a filler chapter. But hey, I wanted to try out some new writing techniques. Particularly the nightmare Emerald had given Sera, and the "witch" lady in the village. Basically, this was a practice chapter for my future writing. But I'm posting it because I thought it had some good stuff in it, and I didn't want it to go to waste by sitting in my files doing nothing. So, here you go, my dear readers. If you liked it, fantastic! I'm glad, seriously, because that helps me. If not, then sorry. I'm steadily improving how I write and tell this story.**_

 _ **P.S. I've got like, over half of the next chapter already written. I just need to review over Volume 6 for some stuff I'd forgotten. Particularly, the fight against the Leviathan Grimm and Adam. Dunno if Sera's gonna be present for the Adam fight (probably not, because that's a Yang and Blake thing, but if Sera's there, she'll be expressing just how much she appreciated Adam mentally scarring her *ahem* partner. (I dunno if it's proper to make Sera and Yang, like, an official couple. I still haven't gotten neither any positive or negative feedback about how my readers feel about that ship, so I dunno if it's liked or disliked. If people like it, I may bump it up a notch. If not, I'll tone it down.)) But nevertheless, this story is far from being finished.**_

 _ **To the people of and my like three readers of this story on Wattpad, seriously, thank you.**_

 _ **P.S.S. You've probably noticed the chapter titles recently. Hint: they're all songs, if the "Take Me Home, Country Roads" wasn't obvious enough. I keep forgetting to say who the song is by, but I'll start with this chapter. Traveling On by Kongos.**_


	15. Don't Bring Me Down

A beautiful ocean town was spread out for miles to the east and west. The sun disappearing over the horizon made the sky a stunning mixture of purple and orange. In the streets, people bustled about, out on their way to enjoy the night.

Sera sighed while she took in the sight. It was truly breathtaking.

Someday, she thought. I want to live in a town like this. In the very distant future.

She twisted the throttle on Bellona's handlebar and continued down the narrow path from the top of a cliff that overlooked the town. Neo's eyes were transfixed on the horizon, her eyes changing color to match the sky.

Sera's eyes swept over the many buildings of the town. Her team was here somewhere. She could sense it.

In no time at all, they were going at a slow and steady pace down the town's narrow streets. The crowd made way for Bellona, which was awfully nice of them. The last thing Sera wanted was to run over some brainless pedestrians.

Neo tapped on her shoulder and shoved the bright screen of her scroll into Sera's face.

 _What now?_

"I dunno," Sera admitted. "Maybe ask around? Surely someone's seen a bunch of bizarre huntsmen around."

Neo withdrew her scroll and tapped on it for a minute, then put it back in Sera's face.

 _Ask where?_

She was about to admit that she had no idea, but the distant thumping of a bass drew her attention. Further down the street, people crowded around a doorway with bright neon lights along the walls, and in large cursive lettering read "Neon Syndicate."

"Well, if you're looking for information in town," Sera looked back at Neo "First place to check is the bar."

She parked Bellona on the curb and shouldered her sword. There was a long line waiting to get in, but Sera didn't care. She walked right past the big, buff door man and into the club.

"Hey, you have to be on the list-!" he called after her, but she and Neo were already inside. Before the bouncer could get after them, they delved into the ocean of raving people, all bouncing and dancing with neon bracelets, necklaces, and sunglasses, and hats.

The sheer number of people caught Sera off guard. The bass pounded so loudly that it made her entire body shake.

"Find the bar! That's where people are usually the most calm!" Sera shouted to Neo. She was feeling pretty good about her instincts in this place. Being around Qrow and going on hunting expeditions with him really taught her a lot about these sort of settings, even thought Qrow's preferred setting is a quiet, rundown bar with cheap whiskey and waitresses with low self-esteem.

All that shattered when they actually found the bar. People shouted in excitement and cheered on their entertainment. The entertainment in question was three women on the bar, dancing. They wore skimpy outfits that showed off a lot of cleavage and made Sera regret ever wearing tube tops.

They danced to the beat of the music and put forth effort in showing themselves off, but they didn't dance like, say, prostitutes or something. There was a sort of style to it, as if they'd learned to dance in a biker bar than a nightclub.

Sera rolled her eyes and pulled Neo along to the center of the club—where the partying was the hardest.

The crowd of people seemed focused on something in the middle, on a raised platform. It was the DJ. A girl with large orange twin tails and an outfit that matched most of the partygoers stood behind the "instruments" or whatever DJs used. She pumped her fist in the air and held a pair of headphones on her head. The funny thing was that Sera recognized her. The girl was Neon, one of the Atlas students she and Yang fought in the Vytal Festival.

"Her," Sera pointed to Neon. "We have to talk to her."

Neo seemed to recognize Neon as well. She nodded in agreement, then the two made their way through the crowd. Sera figured it was best to wait for Neon to finish rather than storming up on stage, so they waited. She didn't want to draw security's attention, after all.

They stood at a second, smaller bar off to the side. Thankfully, this one didn't have dancing women. A tall man in a tailored vest, white dress shirt, and black tie served as the bartender. Black tattoos covered both of his arms, but his eyes were kind enough.

Sera and Neo stood by the bar casually, glancing back at Neon every now and again.

"Get you something to drink?" the bartender asked.

"Not old enough. Plus, that's a nasty habit," Sera responded.

The man's eyes narrowed, "What're you doing in here then?"

She pointed at Neon on stage, "Waiting for a friend."

"You know Neon?"

"Kicked her tail in the Vytal Festival in Vale."

The bartender's eyes widened. "You know what? Here, on the house." He slid a tall glass filled with pink and orange liquid that seemed to glow in the darkness of the club. A little pink umbrella sat on the rim of the glass. The bartender moved away from them, tending to his other customers. Sera hated alcohol, but even she had to admit that it looked appealing.

. . .

An hour passed. Sera and Neo still sat at the bar, waiting patiently. The glass of brightly colored alcohol was now empty, the little umbrella sitting at the bottom, turned upside down.

Sera looked over to Neo, who was leaning forward on the bar with her head down.

"You really shouldn't have drunk that," Sera told her. After the bartender had left them with the glass, Sera had pushed it away. But Neo took that as an invitation and scooped up the glass. Sera assumed Neo was twenty-one or older. At least, she hoped she was. But apparently, she was also a lightweight.

Neo waved her off, keeping her head on the table. If Yang were here, she'd be scolding Neo like a mom would her kid.

Sera shook her head with a smirk on her lips. She looked back to the stage. Neon was still DJing away. Just when Sera was about to fully lose her patience and go yank the Faunus off the stage, the song ended, and Neon raised two peace signs high above her head and leaped offstage.

The crowd cheered and body surfed her all the way to the back of the ocean, where they dropped her like a sack of potatoes right in front of Sera.

Neon groaned and got to her feet, dusting off her high-cut shorts. Sera blinked, waiting to see if Neon would see and/or recognize her. She got her answer when the Faunus's eyes widened at the sight of Sera.

"Sera?! Oh my _gods!_ What're you doing here?" she squealed and hopped over to the amnesiac.

"Hi, Neon. That's what I'm here to talk to you about, actually." Sera stood. She shoved on Neo's shoulder to rouse her, but the mute girl only groaned in response.

Neon tilted her head in confusion. "Me? Why?"

Sera told her about her personal quest to find her friends, and that Neon was the first face she recognized in town. Neon was surprisingly a good listener.

When Sera was done, Neon put a finger to her chin in contemplation. "Hmm. Now that you mention it, I do think I've heard something about a group of huntsmen and huntresses around town. They went up to the Atlas base or something, trying to catch a ride on an airship."

Sera's heart sank. "Did they? Catch a ride, I mean."

"I don't think so. The woman in charge of that base is _very_ un-groovy."

"Right," Sera said, unsure of what "groovy" meant. "So, they're still in town then?"

"Probably, but I dunno where."

"That's cool. You've done more than enough to help," Sera thanked. Neon nodded, then gestured to Neo.

"Who's your friend?"

"Oh, this is Neo. She's been helping me."

"Is she your sister or something?" Neon inspected Neo's messy white hair that covered her head.

"Officially, yes. Unofficially, no."

Neon quirked an eyebrow.

"Look, it's better if you didn't know. No offense or anything, but her identity should remain unknown." Sera drummed her fingers on the bar.

"Right. Well, okay then. What're you gonna do now?" Neon asked.

"I dunno. Go look for my friends, I guess." Sera admitted.

"Well, if you need a place to stay or something for tonight, or if you just wanna party, I got you."

Sera blinked. "Really? Thanks."

The Faunus shrugged. "Eh, no problem. Least I could do. No hard feelings about the tournament, right?"

"Right," Sera smiled and gave her a fist bump. "Come on, Neo. Let's get you outta here and find our friends."

Neo groaned when Sera pulled her to her feet. After waving good-bye to Neon, they made their way out of the nightclub.

Once the two stepped out into the blinding daylight, Sera winced and held her hand in front of her eyes for shade. Neo groaned and hid her head inside her jacket.

"C'mon, Neo. We have a military base to visit." Sera swung her leg over Bellona and kicked the bike to life.

. . .

Sera wove Bellona around pedestrians and through streets as quickly as possible, heading for the ocean. Once they had finally reached the beach, the Atlas base wasn't hard to find. It stood proudly above the water with boats patrolling the perimeter. Inside the tall fencing, guards made their rounds with automatic rifles in hand. A central tower dominated the rest of the base. Sera assumed it was the command tower.

She sped towards the gate and Bellona screeched to a halt, nearly tossing Neo off the bike.

Sera put the kickstand down and got off her motorcycle. Immediately, she was intercepted by a tall guard with an even taller hat.

"Halt!" he ordered. "Do not come any closer or you will be fired upon!"

Yay, Sera thought. I love being fired upon.

She raised her hands up to her head as a show of good faith, her posture was still relaxed and carefree.

"I'm a huntress!" she called back. "I've only come for some information." The guard relaxed slightly and approached Sera. The amnesiac glanced back at Neo still sitting on Bellona. She was doing her best to look nonchalant, but she kept averting her gaze as if to keep from being recognized.

Once the tall guard stood in front of Sera, she lowered her hands and looked up at the startling blue eyes of the Atlesian man.

"Greetings, huntress. What information do you come for? I hope its not that you wish to board an airship to Atlas."

"It actually had to do with that," Sera told him. In response, his posture stiffened, as if he were expecting an attack.

"The huntsmen and huntresses that came here for an airship—do you happen to know where they are?"

The guard's shoulders relaxed. "I don't, actually. They came here yesterday to board an airship, but our commander turned them down. Strict orders from General Ironwood—no one may enter Atlas except for military personnel.

"Great," Sera sighed. "What happened with the huntsmen?"

"They just left. Had Weiss Schnee with them, they did. But the commander wouldn't violate her orders. They headed back into town."

"Oh, joy." Sera mumbled. The guard smiled, as if he found Sera's attitude amusing.

"I apologize I'm not a bigger help. They may still be in town, but there's no way to be sure. People go in and out every day."

"The exact opposite of Atlas then," Sera crossed her arms. The guard laughed. It reminded Sera of Professor Port.

"Well, uh, thanks for the information. I'll be on my way now, unless that commander of yours is feeling generous today," Sera said.

"Not likely. She's in a mood over those huntsmen. Probably gonna be sour for a week," he sighed.

Sera chuckled, slowly backing away. "Yeah, well, what can you do?"

The guard waved her off kindly. "Goodbye, huntress."

Sera turned and mounted Bellona. After the guard went back inside the gate, she said to Neo, "Well that was basically a bust."

Neo rolled her eyes with an _I can't even_ expression. Bellona roared to life, and soon they were riding back into town.

Great, Sera thought. Back to searching.

. . .

Before Sera knew it, day had passed into night. After deciding that they should take Neon up on that offer of a place to sleep, they headed to the nightclub. Neon immediately took them to her place—a rather expensive-looking apartment that was _covered_ in brightly colored objects. The sofa was acrylic green. The carpet was bright orange. The curtains were so blue, they reminded Sera of Nuka Cola Quantum (don't ask).

Sera fell asleep as soon as her head hit the neon purple pillow. Before she knew it, she woke up to sunlight pouring through the bright green shutters. She felt like she'd sat up immediately after laying down to sleep. She'd had no dreams, which surprised her. Usually she was forced to endure some sort of live feed or past events.

Her dreams were weird.

After she got out of bed, Neon—being the gracious host that she was—allowed Sera and Neo to use the shower and freshen up. When Sera walked out with a towel wrapped around her body, the Faunus also offered some clothing for her to wear, since her current clothes were ripped to shreds. Sera immediately turned the offer down as kindly as possible. She didn't want to go out looking like a glowstick (no offense, Neon). So she was forced to put on the same outfit as before.

Neo was ready to go. She stood by the doorway with a black and red bowler hat on her head, which brought back memories. She hadn't seen Neo wear it since they first met in Mistral.

Then she remembered its previous owner. The hat had belonged to Roman Torchwick. Way back at Beacon, Ruby and the others had given her a description of the crime boss. Neo must have snagged his hat somehow, and now she was wearing it as her own.

"So, Neon," Sera set her glass of orange juice on the bright pink table that she, Neon, and Neo were sitting at. "If you were, oh I dunno, about eight or so huntsmen and huntresses, where would you go in this town to hold up?"

Neon bit off a corner of a piece of toast and brought a finger to her chin in thought. "I dunno. Maybe a hotel or something? I dunno, but I doubt that Weiss girl would stay somewhere, you know, peasant-like."

Sera nodded. "You're absolutely right. Anywhere fitting for the heiress of the SDC to stay around here?"

"Hmm, there's not really anything that's up to snuff for _that."_ She sipped from a glass of milk.

"Great," Sera sighed and laid her head on the table. Someone tapped on her shoulder, and she looked up to see Neo holding her scroll towards Sera.

 _Someone they know in town?_ Neo had typed.

A lightbulb flashed in Sera's mind. She immediately grabbed Neo and kissed her forehead. "Neo, you're a genius!"

Neo's face turned tomato red, but she managed a smile. She made a sign with one hand that looked like she might've been asking to be handed something, but Neon voiced exactly what the mute was thinking.

"How?"

"I remember Jaune mentioning that he had a sister who lived here. They're likely staying with her!" Sera grinned.

Neon pounded a fist into her open palm, so it looked like she was trying to smash something in her hand. "That's gotta be it!"

Sera flashed a smile and pushed herself away from the table before standing. "If you don't mind, Neon, we'll be going to find our friends now." The Faunus smiled and gave a nod.

"Good luck! And if you're ever in town again, you know who to hit up for a good party!" She stood, presumably to walk them out.

"You got it," Sera grabbed her sword. Neo placed Roman's bowler hat atop her head and rested her parasol on her shoulder. After they were ready, the three of them headed outside with Neon staying in the doorway of her building.

Sera mounted her new motorcycle, then Neo hopped on behind her. After Sera kickstarted Bellona and revved the engine, Neon grinned.

"Again, good luck, you two," Neon leaned against the doorway.

"Thanks, Neon," Sera lifted Bellona's kickstand. "And thanks for everything else."

"No problem. It's just nice to know that more people survived Beacon."

Sera's expression faltered and her eyes dropped. "Yeah. Yeah, you too." Then the amnesiac twisted the throttle, and Bellona shot off down the street.

. . .

Six hours later, Sera and Neo still haven't had any luck finding Ruby and the others. It'd probably help if they had a better description to go off of than "probably a blond chick with the last name Arc." But hey, what can you do.

She figured someone must have at least seen some members of RWBY or JNPR around, but maybe the whole lot of them have been lying low or something.

Sera and Neo were currently walking down a sidewalk in a rather beautiful park, taking in the scenery and asking anyone they could find about their friends. Well, they were more Sera's friends than Neo's, but whatever.

"I don't get it," Sera groaned and let her arms hang limp in front of her. "An entire city full of people, and _no one_ has seen any of them?"

Neo raised her hands and shrugged. A stray hair was wild from under her bowler hat, and Sera had the protective urge to fix it. Gods, she thought. Was this how Yang felt when stuff like that happens with Ruby?

"Come on, maybe someone's seen them on the _other_ side of town," Sera motioned, pretending as if they hadn't checked _all_ sides of town already.

Neo's eyes widened, and she shook Sera's shoulder.

"Huh? What is it Ne—Oh," she followed where Neo's finger was pointing. Standing thirty feet away from them, standing at about twenty feet tall, was a statue of her. It looked brand-new, without even a speck of dust on it.

The statue was a perfect replica of her. It was designed so that she had her old red leather coat, a tube top, and her black pants. Silver Linings sat proudly in its holster, and it was resting a stone sword that looked exactly like Crimson Eclipse on its shoulder. Her right shoulder was exposed so Sera could see that whoever had sculpted it had even included her flower tattoos. Sera's eyes drifted to the wrist of the hand that held stone Crimson Eclipse. Peeking out from the carved sleeve was a stone replica of Ember Celica. The statue also wore a confident expression on its face, with the same teasing smirk that Sera saw every time she looked in the mirror.

Sera staggered, and Neo had to catch her. "What's…" she muttered. "What's this _doing_ here?"

Neo pointed at a bronze plaque at the base of the statue. It took a few seconds for Sera to get up the nerve to read it. But when she did, she covered her mouth with both hands.

" _Sera Purpura. Always willing to put the world before herself. Lost in the Battle at Haven Academy. Memorial contributed by the Xiao Long and Nikos families"_

"Nikos…?" Sera murmured. "Why would Pyrrha's family…? You know what, questions for later." She gazed up and met her statue's eyes. It was a perfect replica of herself. Whoever built it was either paid a lot, put a lot of heart into it, or was perhaps "persuaded" to do a good job by a certain temper-tantrum-prone blond.

Sera smirked at the thought of Yang threatening some poor sculptor with her red eyes and prosthetic arm. It was almost enough to lift her mood from seeing her death memorial statue.

"I keep forgetting," Sera chuckled. "They think I'm dead." She leaned onto the plaque and stared at her own name engraved in the bronze. A single teardrop fell onto her first name. Then another. She wiped her eyes and tried to collect herself. No use in getting emotional in front of the tiny assassin woman.

It was too late when she realized that her vision was blackening. Her head swam, and her body felt weightless.

Not now, she thought. It's been months, why now?

Then she collapsed.

The scene of a beach filled her vision. Ocean waves the color of sapphires lapped against the coast calmly. Teens splashed in the water and laughed while others suntanned on the beach. Sera was suddenly sitting in a lounging chair on a beach, under the shade of a large umbrella.

She looked down at herself. Her clothes were gone. Instead, she wore a purple two-piece bikini with a semi-transparent white cloth tied around her waist.

"Hello, Remnant to Sera?" A girl's voice said. Sera turned to see a tall girl with blue hair and blue eyes that matched the color of the ocean. She wore a similar get-up as Sera, except blue instead of purple.

"What?" Sera asked. The girl rolled her sapphire eyes.

"I _said_ aren't you excited for our mission coming up?"

Sera ignored her. She inspected her own hands, turning them over to see the fronts and backs.

What? She thought. This is another flashback, but…

She then kicked some sand with her foot.

Something's weird. _This_ has never happened before.

"Sera!" the girl waved a hand in front of her face.

"Huh?"

"What's with you today?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," a boy with black hair and red eyes leaned forward. "You're acting weird."

Then it hit her. She recognized these two. They were in her past dreams. Except the last time she saw them… They got vaporized by Salem.

"I don't know what you're talking about, uh, Red." Sera said. Better to play along until she figured out what was going on with this weird flashback.

"You like, just blanked out for an entire minute," the blue-haired girl, Sapphire, said.

"I was not," Sera playfully shoved her shoulder. They looked at her like she was crazy, and Sera wasn't surprised. "So, uh, what're we doing out here on a day like this?"

They looked out at the beautiful blue sky and sparkling ocean.

"What're we doing on the beach?" Red asked in a monotone voice.

"On a hot, sunny day?" Sapphire finished.

"Uh, yeah." She said uncertainly.

Sapphire and Red looked at each other like Sera was crazy.

"Hey, what're you three doing?" A new voice called out. They turned to see a blond guy with green eyes walking towards them.

Magnus, Sera thought. My other old teammate that found me during the Vytal Festival.

He grinned and sat on the chair besides Red.

"We're trying to talk some sense into Sera," Sapphire answered. "She's acting weird."

For a split second, Magnus's eyes narrowed and his face hardened. Then, just as quickly as it changed, it relaxed into the carefree expression he had before.

"What's wrong with her today?" Magnus chuckled. "Obsessing over that buff blue-haired dude again? The one from that show?"

"What was his name again?" Red asked.

"Jonathan," Sapphire smiled at her. "But no, that's not it. Besides, she already has someone with blue hair to focus on." The girl then took Sera's hand and interlaced their fingers.

Uh-oh, Sera thought.

Red chuckled lightly and folded his arms behind his head. "Whatever. Can we just enjoy the day for once, before we have to go back and work on our project for Demos's class?"

"Ugh, don't remind me," Sapphire rolled her eyes. "The project is so dumb. I mean, why do we have to make a scale model of a Deathstalker? I know we had that, ahem, _close_ encounter a few weeks ago on that mission, but jeez! What's the point of this?"

So, this is after that fight, Sera thought.

After her arrival at Beacon, she'd had a flashback of a fight against a large Deathstalker. It was her, Sapphire, and Red fighting it in the snow somewhere. Her last memory was of being caught in the Grimm's vice-like grip, its claw squeezing around her waist. Then she had blacked out.

"It's to teach us how to fight them better, remember? To show us their weak spots," Magnus said.

"Still," Sapphire groaned.

Sera looked out at the ocean, its dazzling gleam catching her eye. She wondered where she was in this flashback. Then she wondered what was happening in the real world. Was Neo trying to wake her up? Was time passing faster, so when she'd wake it'd be nighttime? Or would it have only been a few seconds?

"Sera?" Sapphire shook her shoulder. Her hand glided over her purple tattoo.

"Huh?" Sera shook her head.

"You keep doing that," Red noted.

"Sorry, just… a lot on my mind."

Magnus's eyes lingered on her for just a second too long. He averted them as soon as her eyes locked with his.

Something's off about him, Sera thought.

"Right," Red said.

Sapphire squeezed her hand, and Sera jolted. She'd forgotten that she was holding onto it. Sapphire looked at her with concern, and she resisted the urge to let go. Holding this girl's hand felt…wrong. She knew that she used to know this girl, but… they had dated? Apparently so. But still… Sapphire was gone now, and all the feelings she may or may not have had for her, were also gone. Hell, she barely even remembered her. As horrible as that sounded, it was true. But she couldn't help it. She's had amnesia since the start of this hellish adventure.

Her new team's faces flashed in her mind, all smiling at her. She wasn't sure if it was her imagination or a memory, but they were all sitting at a table in Beacon's cafeteria. Ruby's silver eyes gleamed with delight in that way they always did, as if there wasn't a problem in the world and she was just enjoying life. Weiss rolled her eyes in a playful manner. Blake smirked at her, her ears twitching from within her bow. Then there was Yang. The blond girl grinned and waved her over with her right arm. Her normal, non-severed right arm. Her lilac eyes dazzled in the light and Sera found herself smiling.

"What're you grinning at?" Red's voice asked. Sera looked over at Sapphire's face, filled with concern.

"Just…" Sera smiled. "Thinking about the people I love."

Sapphire smiled then, and it made Sera feel a bit guilty, but just then her vision began to darken again. The last thing she saw was Sapphire leaning towards her, her eyes closed, and lips puckered.

Sera gasped and sat straight up, her vision filling with sunlight. Neo scrambled back and looked at her with wide eyes. Sera looked down to find herself back in her ratty and ripped clothes. The statue of her still stood beside her.

She sighed and got to her feet and steadied herself on the plaque. Neo appeared at her side as if approaching a bomb about to explode.

"How long?" Sera asked. Immediately, Neo brought out her scroll and began typing on it. Within seconds, she turned the screen towards Sera.

 _Ten minutes._

Ten? It felt like three or four in the flashback, or whatever that was.

Sera rubbed her temples. "Ugh. I need a drink after that." She heard something uncorking, then turned to see Neo holding out a silver flask.

"Where did you-? You know what? I don't want to know. Just put that away, you little alcoholic."

Neo frowned, corked the flask, then stuck her tongue out at Sera. The amnesiac snickered, then looked up at the statue once more.

"Come on," she turned away from it. "Maybe someone knows where Pyrrha's family lives."

 _ **Here's just a little more to the story. I didn't want to have a chapter this short, but I'm learning to actually have my chapters about the length as actual chapters. Plus this seemed like a good point to leave off at until the next chapter. It's easier to do that than just end the chapter in the middle or something or try and rush to type up a quick chapter ending. Basically I'm still working on ways to improve things, like I said last chapter. Plus, this way, I can put out more chapters more frequently rather than typing up a 15-20 thousand word monster that you guys waited a month for.**_

 _ **Also the new kind of flashback thing was a test idea I had. Dunno how I feel about it yet, so I dunno if there are gonna be more like that or not. Also, on that topic, Magnus was acting kinda funny, wasn't he?**_

 _ **Song: Don't Bring Me Down by Electric Light Orchestra. Don't ask me why I named the chapter that, because I have no idea.**_


	16. Here I Am

_**Beginning note: I actually finally went back and rewatched Volume 6, so I was reminded of the city that it primarily takes place in: Argus. As you know, I'd been just calling it "that village/city" or something, so now I can call it by its name. Don't ask why I didn't just look it up. There's a story behind it. So, without further ado, the final chapter that takes place in Volume 6.**_

Well, they didn't find Pyrrha's family. But what they _did_ find was a bunch of explosions.

After Sera and Neo left the statue in the park, they headed into the shopping district, but for a very good reason that was totally vital for finding Ruby and the others.

"I need new clothes!" Sera announced to the world. She was still wearing her ratty, shredded clothes from her journey to Argus. Luckily, she had some money left over from her and Neo's endeavors.

Neo rolled her eyes as they walked into a promising-looking clothes store. Fifteen minutes later, and after getting a few questioning glances from the cashier, they were walking out of the store with Sera in her new duds.

She stepped out of the automatic doors and straightened her new sleeveless coat. Her newly bought (temporary) outfit (there's no way she was going to make this a permanent style) consisted of a black tank top, sleeveless black leather coat, black jeans, and a new pair of boots. The coat wasn't buttoned, so it could flow freely in the wind, and it was long enough to reach her thighs.

Sera has a method to her madness. The outfit has a theme for when she _finally_ finds her friends.

She adjusted her collar and rolled her shoulders. Thanks to not having sleeves, both of her tattoos were on full display. The clothes were liberating, in a way. Like, she felt like some sort of anime character with a questionable background that uses a single letter for their name.

Neo appeared at her side, looking bored and tired of being where she was. Then again, she had to follow Sera around and wait for her to choose clothes to wear.

"I'm still surprised you didn't want anything. You know, spice up your wardrobe a bit," Sera glanced over to Neo. The mute girl quirked an eyebrow, then with a shimmer of light that started at her feet and traveled upwards, her clothes changed until she was wearing her old white and pink outfit. It looked spiffy and brand new, as if she'd the clothes had just been made.

"Show off," Sera grumbled. "Since when could you even do that?"

Neo gave her a look like, _Oh, I can do plenty of cool stuff, sister._

"Whatever. Let's just find the others already. We have to find them eventually, right?"

Neo got a reluctant look on her face.

"Oh, shut up," Sera muttered. "Let's just go. Maybe we'll have luck with those Atlas guys again. One way or another, they're getting to Atlas. If I know Ruby, and I do, she's not going to take no for an answer."

Thankfully, Neo seemed to finally agree with Sera. Then, the two of them went into the night.

. . .

"You know, I honestly thought it'd be easier to find a bunch of people in colorful clothing. You'd think Nora could blow up a building, or maybe Weiss could make a giant pillar of ice for no apparent reason. But no, it's like finding a needle in a gods damn pile of knives." Sera said with a tone so overly happy that it kinda scared Neo.

The shorter girl reluctantly turned her scroll towards Sera. _Maybe call it a night and start again tomorrow?_

It took a second for Sera to answer. When she did, Neo jumped.

Sera kickstarted Bellona and slung her sword over her shoulder. "You can head back to Neon's if you want for the night, but I'm going to keep searching. So, you comin' or not?"

Neo bounced on her heels with indecisiveness, then backed off.

Sera shrugged, "That's all right. I'll be at Neon's in a little while, okay?"

Neo nodded and rested her parasol on her shoulder, then Sera sped off. After the roar of Bellona's engine died down, Neo took off down the dark street, the bright streetlamps lighting her way.

. . .

The morning sun peeked over the horizon and began to light up the city of Argus. Sera was currently sitting on the grass beside her motorcycle and holding a to-go cup of steaming coffee in her hands. She's never been a fan of coffee, but this cup of Pumpkin Pete-rivalling sugar and caffeine was the only reason she was awake.

Sera yawned and took another sip of concentrated heart attack as she leaned back against the podium of her death statue.

"We had a good run, Death Sera. We really did. We fought a dragon, we saved a village from an old witch, and we found the city where our friends are. We fought off Mercury and Emerald and survived our mother's murder castle. But apparently, the one thing we cannot do is _find our friends!"_ Sera threw her cup, splashing coffee against the concrete.

She groaned and hung her head between her knees. Why does it have to be so difficult, she thought.

"Not as hard as you might think, you know," a voice broke the silence. Sera didn't even have the energy to draw Silver Linings, you know, like a good warrior would when startled by some random stranger. Instead, she tiredly picked her head up to meet the eyes of who'd addressed her.

Immediately, her breath hitched in her throat. At first, she thought it was Ruby. This woman looked _exactly_ like her. Then she noticed that her hair was different, and she wore a white long-sleeve shirt and two-toned gray and white pants.

She smiled and tilted her head in the most comforting way that Sera had ever experienced.

"Who're you?" Sera asked.

The woman gestured towards the sunrise. "Beautiful, isn't it? I never get tired of seeing a sunrise like that."

The sky had turned a brilliant shade of violet and orange. It really was beautiful to watch, but Sera still had more important matters to think about.

"What did you mean by it's not as hard as I might think?" Sera asked.

With her eyes still transfixed on the horizon, the woman said, "I'm glad they found you, you know. I was a bit reluctant at first, but you've done well at Beacon."

What is this woman on about? How does she even know I went to Beacon, and why isn't she calling me out on having a statue?

"Um, okay…" Sera trailed off. She was too tired to process what was happening. For all she knew, she was hallucinating this entire scenario.

"Qrow's done a good job of preparing you for the battles to come. But you better hurry, they're about to really need your help, Sera."

"Wait, what?" Sera got to her feet. The woman looked over to her, a small smile on her lips.

"Might wanna go, that Atlas woman's going to attack right about… Now."

The ground rumbled beneath Sera's feet and a boom echoed across the city. Sera immediately gripped the hilt of her sword and scanned her surroundings.

"What the hell was tha-?" Sera voice died in her throat. The woman had completely disappeared without a trace. A soft breeze blew ruffled her hair. It was weird, but for a second she swore she smelled roses.

She didn't have time to think about what just happened. Without hesitation, Sera jumped on Bellona and kickstarted its engine to life.

If they're anywhere, Sera thought, they're going to be in the middle of whatever made the ground shake.

And with that, she twisted the throttle and flew down the road.

. . .

Inside the dark throne room of her large and menacing castle, the witch Salem sat upon her throne. A young man knelt before her, his long hair covering his eyes.

"It has been weeks," Salem said at last. "and you _still_ have not brought me anything I didn't already know."

The young man dipped his head further down in his shame. He had no retort, for she was right.

"I'm sorry, my lady," he said.

" _Sorry?"_ Salem rose to her feet. "Sorry doesn't cut it! All of my underlings have proved their worth. All except you. The only thing _you_ have done is lead me to my daughter and her worthless team members in Forever Fall Forest." Salem took her time approaching the young man. By time she had finished, she was standing directly in front of him and glowering down at him.

"Tell me," she said in a lower voice. "how does it feel to have betrayed everyone and everything you ever knew? All of my subordinates have different reasons; money, to survive, for the fun of it. But you, you still haven't revealed your true intentions. What is it you're after?"

The young man picked his head up. His blond hair shined in the dim light and his green eyes were narrowed. "Simple," he said, his voice low. "The death of Sera Purpura."

"Why?"

Magnus hesitated. "For taking the only person I cared about."

A smile spread across Salem's ghostly features. "Rise, Magnus Mundus."

Magnus got to his feet.

"If you can accomplish our shared goal," she said. "You'll earn a permanent place by my side," Salem gestured to one of the seats at her table.

Magnus grinned and bowed to the pale woman. "As you wish."

"Who are they, this person whom my daughter 'took' away?" Salem asked, her eyes glowing a mite brighter.

The former Shade student's eyes flickered between Salem's eyes and the empty space beside her head. After a moment, he finally answered.

"Cerulean."

"Your teammate?" Salem's eyes widened slightly. "Do tell."

"I'd rather not," Magnus replied, which wasn't a smart move.

"What?" Salem said, her voice steely calm.

Magnus flinched. "S-sorry. Um, yes. When Cerulean ignored me and started dating Sera, I uh, kinda lost it. They never knew, but still…" he trailed off.

"I see," Salem clasped her hands together.

"Yes, well," Magnus took a step back nervously. "Better start looking for her." He turned around and started for the door.

"Magnus."

Magnus halted.

"I know you plan to kill her, but I'm going to tell you right now: you are _not_ to kill her. Not yet. I still... have plans for my daughter. But do not think you can ignore my wishes. Because the minute you put your desire before my own…" a ball of black flame appeared in her hand. "That will be your last bad decision."

Magnus gave a stiff nod, then continued on his way out of the throne room.

. . .

"So, what the hell now?" Yang Xiao Long panted, holding her left arm to her side. She and Blake were gazing down at the body of water that Adam Taurus had just fallen into.

After all of the shit that Yang went through after what Adam did, this fight had been, in a word, rather liberating.

Gotta admit, she thought to herself. Stabbing that asshole felt pretty good. Better than it should've. But what can you do?

"Come on," Blake squeezed her shoulder. "Let's get out of here." She turned and stepped away from the edge. When she noticed that Yang hadn't moved, she quirked an eyebrow. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Just… I wish Sera was here. She hated _him_ almost as much as we do. Plus, she probably would've enjoyed kicking his ass." Yang stared down at the clashing rapids, and at the crashing waterfall.

"Yeah, she would've," Blake took Yang's hand into her own. "She'd probably laugh down at the rapids, gloating about the fight the whole time."

Pyrrha Nikos appeared at the edge of their fields of vision, apparently finished with checking the perimeter for any additional White Fang.

Yang cracked a smile. "I can hear her now. 'Is that all, Toro? All that talk and grandeur of your obsession with Blakey and you drop the ball?'"

Blake smirked. "Or she'd go 'No wonder you're so mad all the time; you're a bull who wears nothin' but red'."

"…Isn't that kind of racist?"

Blake nudged Yang's shoulder. "Only if it's one of you filthy humans saying it."

"Hey!"

Yang and Blake laughed together, despite you know, just killing a man.

"What're you two on about?" Pyrrha asked once she reached them.

"Sera," Yang replied. Pyrrha's easygoing expression faltered. "Oh," she said.

"Come on, let's get back to Ruby and the others before—" Blake steered them away from the edge.

Something suddenly roared through the forest that they had come from. It sounded like the loudest, angriest Ursa had just found the huntsman that killed its mama bear. Yang quickly realized that it was an engine. Except the last time she'd heard something of this caliber, it was her dad's old motorcycle from his younger years. Who would be driving something like _that_ through the woods?

"What is _that?"_ Blake asked.

"I don't know," Yang gulped. "But we should hurry and check it out." Then the three of them dashed towards the forest, Yang wishing that she hadn't driven Bumblebee into the water below.

. . .

"What the actual hell is that noise?" Sera demanded as she got closer and closer to the sounds of explosions and crashes. It sounded like a fight was going on. A big one. But with who, she didn't know.

"The hell happen? Did the Atlas military decide to test out new explosive Dust?" she muttered to herself and twisted the throttle of Bellona further. The front wheel kicked up momentarily then touched back down.

Another explosion erupted somewhere above her and rocked Bellona. The motorcycle shuddered slightly.

Come on, Sera thought. You better not fall apart on me.

That's when she came upon a clearing and saw it. The view was absolutely beautiful for about three seconds. She could see the ocean before her, the mass of blue twinkling spectacularly. The sky looked like it hadn't stormed in months, perfect for sailing or flying. Then she saw the giant mech.

. . .

"You have got to be kidding me," Sera deadpanned. As soon as she came upon the cliffside, the next thing she saw was her friends fighting a giant robot with the voice of an old woman.

A white and red blur zipped through the air towards the mech, and Sera's heart dropped. It was Ruby and Weiss riding a white and blue Lancer Grimm—presumably one of Weiss's summoned familiars.

"Found you," Sera mumbled, her chest swelling with relief. With a grin, she revved Bellona's engine and tore up sand to get to her friends. But what she didn't notice was the large blaster aimed right at her.

She'd made it a quarter way over to her colorfully clad friends when the world was suddenly upside-down. A large blast of Dust energy plowed a trench right in front of the motorcycle and grazed its front wheel. In immediate response, Bellona flipped end over end and sent Sera flying.

The next thing she knew, she was picking herself off the ground with dirt covering her body and in her hair.

"What the hell…?" She shook her head, trying to shake away the daze. After she got to her feet, her eyes fell upon the ruined mess that used to be her motorcycle.

Bellona laid in a heap of scrapped metal. The front wheel was missing, the engine block was shredded, and Sera was pretty sure that the handlebars weren't supposed to bend that way.

She glared at the mech with murderous intent. " _SERIOUSLY?!_ I just got this!" She yelled at the distant robot. Frankly, she was surprised that no one had noticed her. Then again, she was still a hundred yards away.

Sera groaned and picked her sword out of the wreckage of her new vehicle. She'd told Moe that she would take care of it, and now it was a pile of scrap.

"I'm gonna tear that thing apart," she muttered and slung her old sword over her shoulder.

Fortunately, Ruby was way ahead of her. Sera was still a hundred feet away when the mech's blaster leveled at Ruby, who was standing defiantly on the cliff edge with Crescent Rose in hand. Apparently, Ruby was telling the mech off, and Sera wished she was close enough to hear. She probably would've been proud.

Now that she was getting closer to them, she noticed that Yang wasn't there. She wondered where she was, and if she was okay. But at the moment, her only intentions were to save her team and rip this robot into strips of tin.

Sera straightened her collar as she ran and adjusted her gun belt. Gotta make herself look at least semi-presentable for returning from the dead.

Once she got within earshot, she slowed to a steady pace and tried to hide the grin on her face from seeing Jaune, Nora, and Ren.

They were focused on the crazy Atlesian woman piloting a mech. Ren had just hitched a ride on one of Weiss's Lancers when Sera got closer. He rode it around to the mech's back and leapt onto it, surprisingly not alerting the Atlesian woman inside.

Jaune gritted his teeth and turned to Nora. "We have to take her down quick and get out of here. The longer we stay here, the worse it gets for us."

"I know, I know! Where's Blake? She was supposed to shut down the tower!" she replied.

"I have no idea. Yang isn't responding either. We just need to hurry and—" Jaune's eyes widened he saw Sera. "Oh my Dust…"

"What? What're you looking—oh my Dust."

Sera gave an uncomfortable, lopsided grin. "Hey, guys…"

Jaune and Nora only gaped at her. Jaune dropped his sword. Then Nora laughed and threw her arms around Sera's neck.

The amnesiac actually had to struggle to stay on her feet. She hugged Nora back, as tightly as she could. Fortunately, Nora could take it.

Jaune approached them and reluctantly put a hand on Sera's shoulder, almost as if checking to make sure she was real.

Sera felt something wet on her neck, so she looked down only to see that it was Nora, crying into her neck.

"We thought we lost you," she said.

"Yeah, well… You didn't," Sera let out a low chuckle. She looked up when Jaune squeezed her shoulder.

"Good to have you back," he gave his usual reassuring smile.

"Good to be back," she grinned and nodded towards the mech after Nora released her. "What's the deal with that?"

Jaune shrugged. "Crazy old Atlas commander. Stealing a ship. Gotta get to Atlas." He listed off.

Sera grinned. "What the hell did I miss?"

"Sister," Nora smiled devilishly. "You have no idea."

"We can catch up later," Sera drew her sword. "First, let's deal with the crazy Atlesian."

"Like Jaune said," Nora hefted her hammer. "Good to have you back, Snowball."

Sera's grin reappeared. "I've missed you all so much, I'm not even mad about you calling me that."

"Good," Nora smiled and ran towards the tree line.

"C'mon," Jaune said. "We better let the others know you're not dead."

"Aw, come on," Sera shouldered her sword. "What's the fun in that?"

Then she sprinted for the trees towards where Nora had gone. The first person she was met with was Qrow Branwen. He was watching Ruby and Weiss flit around on the white Lancer. Cordovin was trying to swat them like a fly. Which, in this case, they kind of were a fly.

"So, uh, everyone thinks I'm dead, huh?" Sera said to Jaune and Nora.

"Pretty much," Nora replied.

"Well, except for Ruby. She never gave up hope," Jaune added. Sera smiled at that.

"What about Yang?"

They stopped walking. Nora bit her lip and glanced at her. "She's uh… She's had to do some adjusting."

Gotta admit, that stung a bit. She couldn't imagine what it was like for Yang to go through that.

"Well… Hopefully me coming back from the dead doesn't make it any worse," Sera said wistfully.

Nora and Jaune glanced at each other, apparently having a silent conversation.

Well, that's reassuring, Sera thought.

Qrow's eyes were still transfixed on Ruby and Weiss. He was clenching the hilt of Harbinger tightly.

"Qrow," Jaune spoke up.

"Yeah," he replied in his usual gruff voice. When no one answered, the huntsman glanced towards where Jaune's voice had come from. As soon as he realized that he was looking at Sera, his eyes widened, and he dropped his flask.

"Holy shit," was all he said. Then he turned his attention back to the ensuing fight. "Well then. Good to have you back, Snowball."

Sera smirked. "Missed you too, old man."

"Yeah, yeah," he picked his flask up and shoved it into his pocket. "We'll have the welcome back party after all this is finished."

"Fine with me," she grinned and hefted her sword. "How do we take this thing down?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, kid," Qrow uncorked his flask.

"Well, great. What're Ruby and Weiss doing?" Sera fixed her eyes on the tiny distant forms of her teammates.

"Trying to find a weak spot. Ren's on top of the thing, if you can see him."

Sera squinted her eyes and eventually spotted a dot of green on top of the mech, shooting blasts of green energy and hopping around to avoid being grabbed by large metal hands.

"Spectacular. So, what do _we_ do?" Sera glanced over at the huntsman.

"Basically? Wait here. Nothing else you can do right now."

"Then how are we gonna help take it down?" Nora asked, voicing what Sera was thinking.

Qrow smirked. "I said there's nothing _you_ can do." Then the huntsman promptly sprinted towards the cliffside, jumped off, and turned into a black crow and flew towards the battle.

Sera looked at Jaune and Nora helplessly, but they only shrugged.

"Don't look at us," Nora said. "He's been doing that all day!"

An explosion drew their attention. Now flying around the mech's head was a sleek gray airship that was blasting Cordovin with missiles and generally annoying the Atlesian woman.

"Let me guess," Sera watched the airship dive towards the water. "The stolen airship?"

"Yep," Jaune said, putting extra emphasis on the 'p'.

"Who's piloting?"

"Oh, you know, an old lady with no eyes," Nora replied.

" _What?"_ Sera demanded.

"She can see," Jaune promised. "Mostly."

"Thanks, very reassuring," Sera huffed.

"Oscar's up there, too," Jaune noted.

"Wait, why isn't Ozpin coordinating the fight? He probably knows how to take this thing down more than any of us," Sera quirked an eyebrow.

Nora chuckled nervously and scratched the back of her head. "About that…"

"You know what, I don't want to know right now. Tell me later, _after_ we beat this thing," Sera hefted her sword and watched the ensuing fight.

" _If_ we beat it," Jaune muttered. Sera ignored him.

Cordovin continued trying to shoot the airship out of the sky while it divebombed her and shot missiles back. Qrow and Ren were ant-sized dots on the back of the huge piece of machinery, apparently trying to get to something.

Apparently, they found it whatever they were searching for. The mech suddenly shuddered while its seemingly artificially generated aura failed and dissipated. Qrow and Ren jumped onto the back of Weiss's Lancer and flew towards the cliffside.

"Oh boy," Sera mumbled once she realized that three more of her friends were about to see that she was still alive.

"Whatcha gonna do about that?" Nora asked. She didn't have to explain what she'd meant. It was too obvious.

"Good question," Sera muttered. She didn't know. Pray, maybe? Too late to decide, they were about to land.

In a minor panic, she jumped behind Nora and Jaune to hide.

"That's not gonna work," Jaune noted.

"Shh," Sera hushed.

Qrow, Ren, Weiss, and Ruby approached Nora and Jaune, seemingly unaware of their missing friend.

"We've disabled its shield generator. Now what?" Ren said. Qrow's eyes scanned the area until he noticed that Nora and Jaune were standing suspiciously close together. His posture relaxed and a smirk played on his lips.

"We find a way to stop that mech get out of here," Ruby said determinedly. Sera raised an eyebrow at the tone of her voice. She sounded older. Still as high-pitched as always, but more mature. What happened since Sera had been gone?

"Right… But how do we do that?" Nora asked.

"Its arm. Maria told me about it while we were flying around. Every time it fires, missile pods eject for some reason. Its not much, but its our best shot at taking down Cordovin," Ruby stated, clenching Crescent Rose tightly in her hand.

"Jeez, Rubes," Sera walked out from behind Nora and Jaune. "When did you get the chance to grow up?"

The determined look on Ruby's face melted, and everything went silent. Qrow smirked and glanced at his niece. Ren's eyes widened, but it turned into a small smile. Weiss's mouth hung open and stared at Sera wide-eyed.

Sera tried for a smile, but Ruby still wasn't reacting. Then a tear traced down the left side of her cheek, and her face lit up with joy.

"I knew it!" she tackled Sera with the force of a charging Ursa. The two of them fell to the dirt, Ruby squeezing Sera tightly and laughing into her shoulder.

"I _told_ them you were alive!" Then she stopped and met Sera's eyes, her smile morphing into a frown. "Where _WERE_ you?! Do you have any idea what you put us through at Haven? Do you know what it's been like for Yang?"

"Uh, guys? Don't you think we have a bit more to worry about right now?" Jaune asked with a semi-worried tone.

Sera sat up, all happiness gone. "I… Yeah, I know. I'll explain everything later. Promise."

Ruby searched her eyes for any negative signs that might be there. Finally, she answered. "Well, all right then." She got to her feet and hefted Crescent Rose. "It's great to see you again, Sera."

Sera grinned and got to her feet. "Good to see you too, Ruby."

The sound of an old lady's voice over a loudspeaker interrupted the touching reunion. "Did you really think that taking my shields down would stop me? Fools! Atlesian technology is the best in the world!"

Sera rested her sword on her shoulder. "Is she always like that?"

"Unfortunately," Ruby groaned.

"What are you _wearing?"_ Weiss demanded, apparently over the shock of seeing her dead teammate.

"Love you too, Ice Queen," Sera replied. "If you must know, it's because I'm back."

Everyone waited.

"In black," Sera finished.

"I changed my mind. I didn't miss you," Ruby crossed her arms.

"Yeah you did," Sera grinned.

"Can we just beat this thing already?" Nora demanded.

"What's the plan?" Ren asked.

"Remember the arm thingy?" Ruby asked. Everyone looked at her questionably. In response, she smiled and brought her hand to her ear. "Maria, come in for a landing, will ya?"

"We doing it?" an old lady's voice replied.

"Yep!"

"Finally! Let's take this geezer down a few notches!" Maria replied. Within seconds, the stolen Atlesian airship swooped in and hovered above the ground. The side door slid open to reveal Oscar standing there looking distressed. Then his eyes widened when he saw Sera grinning at him.

"Ruby, what're you doing?" Qrow asked, but it was already too late. Ruby jumped onboard with Crescent Rose in hand. But what she didn't notice was that Sera had suddenly appeared beside her, seemingly out of nowhere.

"What the-? Oh, right. Semblance. But what're you doing here?!" She demanded.

Sera grinned and hefted her old sword. "Hey, gotta make up for lost time, right?"

A smile made its way onto her face. "Right. Let's take this crazy woman down."

"Damn right!" a second crazy woman said from the pilot's chair. She was short with browned skin and gray hair. A high-tech goggle-like device was on her face. Sera assumed that that's what let her "see", as Jaune had mentioned.

"Who's the new girl?" she asked.

"This is Sera," Ruby replied.

"Oh, the-? Oh. Oh, right."

Sera glanced at her team leader. "Been talking about me, have we?"

"I mean, yeah. Had to after Yang forced that guy to build that statue of you."

"I knew it!" Sera cheered. "What's the deal with that anyway?"

"Well… Yang wanted something to memorialize you. We couldn't have let your sword down in the Vault be your memorial, could we?"

Sera smiled at that. It was touching to see what lengths her friends would go to for her. "Speaking of that… Where is my sword?"

"Oh, you'll see," Ruby smiled.

"Enough chit-chat! Get up here already!" Maria Calavera told them. Then she picked up the radio and began talking to Cordovin. Something about where she was going to stick her last missile.

The doors slid open, and Ruby aimed her rifle towards the mech's arm.

"You got this, Rubes," Sera mumbled, watching intently. Ruby took a deep breath, then pulled the trigger. Too late. The missile pod closed and disappeared into the arm.

Sera's heart dropped, and judging by the look on Ruby's face, hers did too.

"Really?" Cordovin's voice boomed. "You thought you could trick _me?"_

The mech's blaster took aim at their airship, its cannon already charging up.

"Pull up!" Oscar and Sera both shouted. Maria yanked back on the stick and the airship dipped backwards until the nose pointed at the sun. Fortunately, they were going to avoid crashing into the mech. Unfortunately, the blast grazed them and shut all their systems down.

"Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit!" Sera screamed and clenched the seat she was holding herself to.

"We're gonna crash!" Oscar shouted.

Yellow electricity sparked along Maria's prosthetic eyes until they dimmed and the shutters closed. "My eyes! I can't see!"

"Oh no," Ruby muttered.

"Oscar, take the stick!" Sera ordered. Reluctantly, Oscar grabbed the control stick and straightened the airship out. Sera looked out the windshield, and she'd never thought she'd see the ground come at her that fast. The next thing she knew, the airship crashed into the tree line and plowed a trench in the dirt.

Fortunately, unlike the train wreck, nothing slammed into her head and knocked her unconscious.

She sat up groaning and shook her head to clear the daze. When her vision cleared and the world stopped spinning, Sera sat up to check their surroundings. The airship seemed to be in one piece, hopefully still operable.

"Is everyone all right?" Oscar groaned.

"Define 'all right'." Ruby sat up cradling her head.

"I'm fine," Maria stood shakily. "Sera?"

"Ugh. Remind me to not let granny pilot again," Sera groaned. She was met with a smack to the head by a short walking stick.

"Yowch! What the hell, lady?" Sera yelped.

"Come on. We have to get out of here," Ruby said, then stumbled out of the airship and fell to her hands and knees.

"Ruby!" Sera jumped out of the crashed ship and went to Ruby's side. After picking her up and putting one arm around her for support, she looked up to see Cordovin stalking towards them in her mech.

"Very clever, but even the highest intellect cannot outsmart the power of Atlas technology," she laughed.

"Getting real tired of hearing about Atlas tech," Sera mumbled. Qrow and the others appeared in the clearing that the Atlesian airship created through the trees. Ruby shrugged Sera off of her and marched towards the cliffside.

Qrow immediately grabbed her hand, and Ruby stopped. "Ruby! What're you doing?"

Sera was about to add to his question, but the look of pure determination on her face when she met their eyes was enough to halt any person.

"You're gonna have to trust me," she told them.

Qrow made a displeased sigh, then released her. Ruby continued on her way, walking towards the large mech with Crescent Rose in hand. Sera immediately caught up with her and walked at Ruby's side.

"What're you doing?" Ruby asked.

"Come on, you really think I'm gonna let you do something stupid by yourself?" Sera smirked. Ruby rolled her eyes, but she didn't object.

"Now, let's kick this tin can's chrome-covered tail," Sera pounded a fist into her open palm. They'd just arrived at the cliff's edge when Cordovin looked down at them.

"Surrender for your crimes and accept your punishment!" the mech pointed at them.

Sera glanced at Ruby and gave a smirk. "Ruby, say something cool. Let her have it!"

"R-right," she answered. Ruby glared up at the imposing mech and raised a clenched fist in front of her. "No!"

"…Seriously?"

Ruby ignored her. "We're going to Atlas. Bigger people than you have tried to stop us and failed. We're supposed to be on the same side! But you just take advantage of the power you've been given to treat others like they're not important! We didn't _want_ to steal from you, we did it because you gave us no choice!"

"And I—" Sera butted in.

"We," Ruby corrected.

"—am gonna give you one last shot to hear them out!" Sera finished, referring to Ruby and the others, since she'd just arrived at the fight like five minutes ago.

Everything was still for a count to five. Then in a quiet and clear "I'm done with this" voice, Cordovin said, "I've heard enough."

Then the Atlesian woman aimed her mech's cannon right at Sera and Ruby. The thing was the size of a tunnel, big enough for a train to fit in. And it was charging with Dust energy to vaporize them.

The wind generated by the spinning of the barrel whipped Sera and Ruby's clothes and hair. Sera glanced over to Ruby nervously. Her eyes were narrowed and glaring into the cannon, and Sera instantly knew her plan.

"Oh no you don't-!" Sera tried to grab Ruby, but it was too late. She disappeared in a flurry of rose petals and flew into the barrel.

"Ruby you insufferable goddamn donut!" She screamed at her team leader.

Ruby reappeared standing far down the barrel of the cannon, Crescent Rose ready to fire. She took a deep breath and aimed down her weapon's scope.

"Oh you clever little…!" Sera's eyes widened. Then Ruby took a deep breath and fired. The force of Crescent Rose's recoil sent her flying out of the cannon.

As soon as the bullet hit its mark, the Dust energy released all of its stored-up power. Sera stumbled back and fell onto her rear while trying to look up at the damage. The mech's entire arm was shredded and now covered in a mix of ice, rock, and sparking electricity.

"WHAT?!" Cordovin shrieked.

Sera glanced up to see Ruby falling out of the sky, apparently unconscious. Electricity was dancing across her body and flickering aura.

Without a moment's hesitation, she jumped into the air to catch her. Ruby slammed into her body and sent them both flying to the edge of the cliff.

Sera grunted when her back slammed into the dirt and created a shallow crater. Fortunately, she shielded Ruby from further harm.

"Ruby! Are you okay?" Qrow's voice said from somewhere to Sera's left.

"Yep, she's just fine. Don't mind me, just dying," Sera groaned. Qrow picked Ruby off of her to reveal a battered white-haired huntress.

Unfortunately, Cordovin was pitching a fit now.

"No, no, no, no, NO!" She shrieked over the mech's speakers. "All Atlesian forces attack the traitors! Every airship, every soldier!"

"Commander!" A second voice replied, still over the speaker. "We've been trying to reach you! The Large Grimm Sensors have been going off for minutes now! We need you here, ASAP!"

Immediately, an extremely loud roar echoed across the sky, followed by the sounds of explosions.

"What… What does that mean?" Weiss asked.

"It means," Qrow sighed tiredly. "that we just destroyed the one thing that can save the city."

"What's going on?!" A familiar voice asked.

"Oh, no…" Sera thought aloud.

"Airship, now!" Jaune ordered. Sera glanced to the right to see the previously crashed Atlesian airship to see it floating just a few inches above the ground. Apparently, it was working again.

"What's wrong?" Blake's voice asked. Wait, Sera thought. What's Blake doing here?

She looked up to see Nora holding her hand out for Sera to take. Nora pulled her to her feet.

"Thanks," Sera let out a sigh and held the spot on her abdomen where Ruby hit her. She looked towards where Yang and Blake's voices came from, only to see Ruby, Jaune, and Weiss blocking her view. "Huh, this feels familiar…"

"Ruby, are you all right?" Yang demanded after seeing her ripped up and battered clothes.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine! And two things are wrong. One, Argus is in danger. And the second thing, well…" Ruby stepped aside. Sera was then able to see Blake, Pyrrha, and Yang standing there. Blake gasped, and tears brimmed in Pyrrha's eyes. They looked beaten up and bruised, but otherwise okay.

Their eyes instantly widened and filled with terror.

"Uh, hey guys…" Sera gave a small wave.

Pyrrha surged forward and hugged her tightly. Then Blake did the same.

"Long time, no see," Sera chuckled and endured the crushing grip of Pyrrha and Blake.

"We thought we lost you," Pyrrha said.

"Yeah, well… I'm alive."

"Clearly," Blake chuckled and wiped a tear.

"Hey Blakey, long time no see."

"Yeah… I'm back too."

"Clearly."

"Ahem," Ruby coughed.

Sera glanced over to see Yang still standing there with a blank stare. "Oh. Right." Pyrrha and Blake let go of her and dusted off her shoulders and front.

The amnesiac took a deep breath and stepped towards her. Unfortunately, a yellow fist slammed into her cheek, sending her directly through a tree.

"Where _WERE YOU?"_ Yang screamed and stomped towards her.

"Dead?" Sera asked hopefully.

" _NO, YOU WEREN'T,"_ Yang's voice boomed.

"No, I wasn't," Sera groaned and picked herself up. As soon as she got to her feet, Yang grabbed her and pulled her against her. Gotta say, Sera didn't realize how much she missed Yang's lips until they were pressed against hers.

Before Sera could snake her arms around her waist, Yang pushed her away and held her at arm's length. "Where _were_ you?"

"Long story," Sera managed, her face as red as Ruby's cloak. Then Yang kissed her again.

"Uh, guys? We kind of have more to worry about right now," Qrow called to them.

"Yeah. Big Grimm attacking the city? Remember that?" Jaune added.

"Let's put that on the back burner real quick," Sera mumbled.

"Sera!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Fine!" Sera and Yang shot back.

Everyone began boarding the airship until only Sera and Yang were the only ones not onboard.

"Seriously, how are you here right now?" Yang asked as they got nearer to the ship.

"Seriously, I'll tell you later. But hey, I'm not dead," Sera spread her arms and grinned. Yang smirked and slugged her in the arm, then hopped aboard the airship.

"Come on, let's go kill some Grimm," Yang smiled and stuck her hand out. Sera grinned and took it, allowing the blond to pull her aboard.

. . .

Sera almost lost all hope when she saw the Leviathan and flock of Chimera and Manticore Grimm. Almost.

But when Ruby started talking about using her silver eyes, she became a little hopeful.

"You want to _what?"_ Qrow demanded.

"I can do it! …Probably," Ruby replied.

"Oh, very reassuring," Weiss rolled her eyes.

Sera stopped paying attention after Ruby said silver eyes. She and Yang were sitting on a bench, holding onto each other's arms. Sera was also glad that she was latched onto Yang's real arm rather than her prosthetic. She'd been holding onto enough metal objects already, aka her motorcycle before Cordovin destroyed it.

"How are you even going to get to it?" Jaune asked. Ruby glanced at Weiss hopefully.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding," the former heiress rolled her eyes.

"Pleaaaase Weiss? It'll work if you just get me close enough!"

Weiss looked over to Qrow and Pyrrha. Pyrrha shrugged helplessly while Qrow rubbed the back of his neck.

"Fine," Weiss conceded. "But it better work."

"It will! Probably. No, I'm sure it will. Now let's go before it breaks another wall of shielding!" Ruby said.

"Wait, what're you doing?" Sera sat forward. Everyone looked back at her, making her a bit uncomfortable. Funny, she used to like being the center of attention.

"Ruby's going to get in close enough and use her 'silver eyes' to kill the thing," Nora explained.

"She figured out how to use her eyes?" Sera asked with a surprised and amazed tone.

Everyone looked to her expectantly.

"More or less," Ruby fidgeted.

"Fantastic," Sera sighed.

"Well why don't you go kill it then?" Ruby stomped her foot.

Sera immediately stood and put her hands on her hips. "Is that a challenge?"

Yang grabbed her hand and pulled her back to the seat. "Sit down, you're not fighting that thing."

"Why not?" Sera asked with a smile, despite the impending doom that they were flying towards. "Do you have any idea what I've done after Haven? The things I've fought? All the hardships I've endured to get here—"

"She's gone, Snowball," Yang told her.

"What?"

Sure enough, the side door of the airship was open, and Ruby was gone. Sera peeked out the window to see the scythe wielder flying towards the Leviathan on a white Lancer.

"That mungy little bugger! I'm gonna kick her ass if she lives!" Sera promised.

"…You weren't a good influence on your team, were you?" Maria Calavera said from the pilot's seat.

"Probably not, no. But they still love me, don't they?" Sera smirked. "Besides, what are you doing in the pilot's seat, old lady? Didn't you crash the last time you flew?"

Maria huffed. "Do you see anyone else in here who can pilot this thing, young lady?"

"Pretty sure this pansy of a huntress could any day," Sera gestured to Qrow.

Calavera leaned over to Jaune in the co-pilot seat and whispered, "I like this one."

"Us too," Blake put a hand on Sera's shoulder.

Yang shot to her feet and went to the open side door with a distressed look on her face. "Ruby!"

Everyone looked out of the windows and door.

"Oh, no…" Weiss muttered. Ruby was frozen in front of the Leviathan's giant face. Probably didn't smell too good, Sera thought.

The Grimm opened its maw and went in for the kill. Ruby instinctively raised her arms to shield herself. She yelled something, but it she was too far away to hear. Then, everything went still. The Leviathan halted a few inches from Ruby, and a lady with blue skin appeared out of nowhere.

"What the…?" Sera stared at the woman. She looked like she was naked, but Sera hoped otherwise.

"What's going on?" Sera looked at Yang, but she was frozen too. As well as the airship and everyone in it.

"Stopped time… What could've done that?" Sera thought aloud. The only thing that's different is the blue woman. So… What is she?

Before she knew it, everything resumed as if nothing had happened. Well, except for the blinding silver light that emanated from Ruby's eyes that turned the Leviathan into stone. That, Sera had to admit, was pretty cool. It spread slowly but surely, turning the entire monster into stone.

"What did-?" Jaune asked.

"Did it work?" Nora added.

"Gods, I hope so," Qrow sighed and uncorked his flask. Yang exhaled the breath she'd been holding in and took Sera's hand.

"What's with the blue chick?" Sera asked under her breath.

"Blue chick? You mean Jinn? Where'd you see her?" Yang asked. Sera pointed at Ruby, but before she could verbally answer, the Leviathan began to crack. Gray pieces of stone fell from it and into the ocean.

The Grimm roared and broke out of the rest of its encasing, targeting in on Ruby once more.

"No," Sera mumbled. "No, no, no!"

"Not good," Qrow added.

The amnesiac felt terror well up inside her at the prospect of losing Ruby right after getting back to her team. Something was on the verge of snapping within her, she could feel it.

"Weiss," she barked. "Get me over there _right now."_

"But—" Weiss tried to retort.

" _Now,"_ Sera faced her. Weiss had to resist jumping away from her, because the amnesiac's irises blazed red, all the white in her eyes darkened to black.

"R-right," Weiss said and waved her rapier to form a glyph that then formed another Lancer.

"What're you doing?" Yang asked. Then Sera turned to meet the blonde's lilac eyes, and even Yang looked startled. Her skin was lightening up until it was as white as snow, and black veins webbed out on her arms and the sides of her face.

"I'm going to kill that thing," Sera stated simply. The Lancer hovered in midair beside the airship, awaiting Sera.

"Then I'm going with you," Yang responded.

"Like hell you are," Sera headed for the door. Yang grabbed her arm and stopped her in her tracks.

"Either I'm going, or no one is," she said sternly. She and Sera had a five-second stare down before the latter finally conceded.

"Fine," Sera rolled her now red eyes and hopped onto the Lancer, Yang following suit. "Uh, giddy up!" Sera spurred the summoned Lancer. Immediately, the Grimm shot towards the Leviathan and Ruby.

Yang wrapped her arms around Sera's waist and put her chin on her shoulder. "You look kinda cute like that."

"Stop lying, Xiao Long," Sera smirked, then the Lancer dove towards Ruby. It came to a halt and hovered in the air in front of the Grimm's face, right beside Ruby.

"Ruby, get out of here!" Yang shouted, but Ruby stood gaping at the Leviathan, apparently trying to use her powers again. "Sera, whatever you're gonna do, you might wanna hurry!"

"Yeah, yeah," Sera mumbled and stood on the Lancer. "Hey ugly!" Sera shouted and fired several rounds from Silver Linings into the Grimm's face. That got the thing's attention. It roared directly into her face, but luckily the white Lancer was keeping them just out of reach.

"Jeez, you stink!" Sera waved a hand in front of her nose. "Ever try a jumbo-size breath mint?"

The Leviathan roared again, blasting Sera and Yang's hair back as if they'd just been hit by a giant fan.

"So that's a no then?" Sera shouted at the beast. She heard barely controlled laughter from where Yang was sitting, then looked to see that it actually was Yang. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing," Yang grinned, despite the giant Grimm in front of them. "Just missed you."

"Yeah, yeah," Sera smiled to herself.

"So, what now?"

"Honestly? I have no idea. This thing can't exactly be cut down with a sword," Sera admitted.

"What?! Then what're we doing here?" Yang demanded.

"Trying to save your sister!" She pointed at Ruby.

"And you didn't think this through at all?!"

"I'm working on it as I go!" Sera rebutted.

"You're insufferable!"

"Love you too!"

"Ruby, get out of here!" Yang shouted at her sister.

"I can do it!" Ruby called back.

"Ruby!"

But Ruby wasn't listening. She was staring down the Leviathan, her eyes narrowed in concentration.

"Sera, you gotta do something before she gets herself killed!" Yang grabbed her shoulder, which was pretty dangerous considering that they were flying a hundred yards in the air.

Sera ran through her list of possibilities, which was to say, not a very long list. Silver Linings wasn't going to scratch the thing's hide, her half of Ember Celica wouldn't dent it, and her old sword was about as useful as a needle against an elephant. If she had Crimson Eclipse, then maybe. The weapon could be loaded with Dust to cause a ton of extra damage, but she lost that sword in Haven.

She focused on the giant red spotlights that were the thing's eyes. Surely, they were more susceptible to damage than its skin. Then, her eyes shifted down to its giant maw.

"Ruby! Can you get this thing to open wide?" Sera called.

"What for?"

"Remember the mech?"

Ruby's eyes widened with realization and a smile appeared on her face, then she immediately fired round after round at the Leviathan's face, hoping to make it mad enough to try and blast us with its breath attack.

"Guys, you've got to hurry!" Jaune cried through Yang's scroll. "Its almost to the final wall!"

"Get ready," Sera told Yang. She grinned and cocked her gauntlet and arm, ready to fire at a moment's notice. Sera quickly reloaded Silver Linings, spun it on her finger, then swiftly holstered it.

"What're you doing?" Yang asked.

Sera smirked, "Let's see who's the fastest hand in Mistral."

"Oh, you're _so_ on," Yang grinned.

The Leviathan roared and shook its head wildly once it had enough of Crescent Rose.

"Here it comes…!" Yang warned. The massive Grimm opened its jaw and aimed at all of them. Orange energy formed at the back of its throat and heated up for a blast

"Now!" Sera shouted. She, Yang, and Ruby all fired everything they had into its maw. The blast continued to grow and expand until just seconds away from firing, and their Dust rounds didn't seem to do anything to detonate it early. A loud humming sound emanated from it, signaling that it was about to fire.

"Dive," Sera's eyes widened. "DIVE!"

The two Lancers immediately shot downward and towards the ocean just as the Leviathan discharged all of its stored-up energy. The force from the blast pushed the Lancers even faster towards the water, and all of their bodies rag dolled.

"Pull up pull up pull up!" Yang panicked.

"I'm trying! It's not like this thing has power steering!" Sera yanked back on the Lancer's body, trying to make the summoned creature go upwards.

Just before they hit the water, the Lancers shook their heads as if coming out of a daze and corrected themselves. They came to a over just inches above the sea.

"Well, that didn't work," Ruby noted.

"Let's get out of here!" Yang said. She brought her scroll to her face, a picture of Weiss on the screen. "Weiss, get us up there!"

The twin Lancers shot upward and toward the floating airship. Sera had to hug the summoned Grimm tightly to keep from falling off, and Yang had to hold onto her waist.

"AHHHH!" Ruby squealed from somewhere to their right. In no time at all, the Lancers dropped them off inside the airship, then promptly dissipated into icy mist. Sera, Yang, and Ruby dropped to their hands and knees to catch their breath and recover from the vertigo they were just given.

"Are you all right?" Blake asked, helping Yang to her feet.

"Yeah, we're fine! But what do we do about _that?"_ Yang pointed at the Leviathan. It was almost to the city now. Apparently, that last breath attack managed to destroy the final wall of shielding that protected Argus. Flocks of Manticore and Chimera Grimm flew towards the city, but the other Atlesian ships seemed to keep their attention away from the city. For now.

Sera and Ruby got to their and gazed at Argus, along with the rest of their friends.

"We shouldn't have stolen this ship," Pyrrha broke the silence. "If we didn't, that mech would've been able to protect Argus from this attack."

"Hey, let's not think about that right now," Jaune put a hand on her shoulder.

"What now?" Ruby asked. She looked to Qrow, Yang, and Sera for answers, but they had none.

A dull, rhythmic thumping made its way to everyone's ears. Ren was the first to voice what everyone was thinking.

"What is that?"

"It's coming from… Behind us?" Weiss guessed. Sure enough, the sound was getting louder, and coming from behind the airship. But before anyone could investigate, a familiar old lady's voice shouted via loudspeakers.

"ATLAS TECHNOLOGY IS THE BEST IN THE WORLD!" Cordovin decked the Leviathan with her mech's remaining arm. The Grimm roared in pain and stumbled back, away from Argus.

"Cordovin?!" Qrow exclaimed.

"TRY TO ATTACK _MY_ CITY, ARE YOU? I'LL SHOW YOU A THING OR TWO ABOUT ATLESIAN POLICIES!" Cordovin pounded the Leviathan again. Then she reared the mech's arm back, and a giant blade protruded from its wrist. She thrusted the wrist blade forward and drove it into under the Grimm's ribcage.

The Leviathan shrieked in pain, emitting a high-frequency sound that made everyone onboard the airship clutch their ears. It was especially bad for Blake, who had highly sensitive cat ears.

The giant Grimm dissipated from the bottom up until its remains blew in the wind.

"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about!" Nora cheered.

"We're not finished yet," Jaune warned.

"He's right," Qrow said. "There's still dozens of Grimm in the air."

"About that," Cordovin's voice piped in over the airship's PA system. "There's a lot of Grimm in the skies of Argus. Some airships may be lost in the battle. I guess… I could leave out one of those airships from my report after this is all done."

"So… You're letting us go?" Ruby asked.

Cordovin chuckled lightly. "It's time the Atlas military goes back to protecting the inhabitants of the planet we live on, don't you?"

"Yes, ma'am," Ruby smiled.

"Get out of here, huntress. Atlas can handle these monsters," she said, her tone much more laid-back.

"You got it," Ruby replied. "And thanks."

"Just get out of here before I change my mind, Miss Rose." Cordovin hung up.

"So… We just go?" Blake asked.

"She said they could handle it," Nora shrugged.

"Believe me, they can," Weiss added.

"Maria, set course for Atlas," Qrow said.

"Way ahead of you, old man," Calavera hit the accelerator. The airship lurched forward, almost sending everyone to the ground.

"Dust, woman! I thought we weren't letting you fly anymore!" Sera fixed her footing.

"And I thought you were going to kill that Grimm, but you had to get your hide saved by Cordovin, didn't you?"

"Oh, shut it granny," she sat on a bench at the airship's side. "Guess we're really going to Atlas, then."

"What made you think that? Was it the airship we stole to go there? Perhaps fighting the Atlas military?" Yang plopped down next to her.

"Shut it, Xiao Long," Sera rolled her eyes.

Yang grinned and looked over at her, then the blonde's expression faltered.

"What?"

"Can you go back to looking normal now, please?" Yang sighed.

"I thought you said it looked good," Sera wagged her eyebrows.

"Change back or I'm gonna go sit with Weiss."

"You wouldn't," Sera fake gasped.

"Change back or I will, and you know how much I hate being next to Weiss," Yang said cheekily.

"See, the thing is, the more I stay like this, the more I get used to it, and therefore can fight better to, you know, protect you and the others…" Sera trailed off.

"Oh, shut up," Yang grabbed her head and pulled their faces together. After a few seconds, the color returned to Sera's face, and the black veins on her arms and face disappeared. When Yang pulled away and Sera's eyes fluttered open, they were violet again.

"Better?" Yang grinned.

"Uh-duh," Sera stuttered.

"You two done yet?" Qrow asked.

"Uh, yeah," Yang said and leaned back against the wall.

"Good," Weiss added. "Now we can fly in peace to Atlas."

Yang and Ruby exchanged looks and laughed.

"Sure, Ice Queen," Yang said.

"Whatever you say," Ruby laughed.

Sera couldn't help laughing. She doubled over and clutched her gut. Everyone looked over at her like she was crazy.

"…Are you okay?" Ren asked.

"Cause you're sounding a little crazy over there," Nora added.

Sera stifled her laughter and wiped a tear away. "Sorry, just… I missed this." She felt something grab her hand, then looked over to see that it was Yang.

"We missed you too, Snowball," she squeezed her hand. Then she felt the presence of people closing in, and she looked up to see the rest of her team standing in front of her.

"Believe it or not, she's right," Blake said with a small smile.

"Yeah! Right, Weiss?" Ruby beamed.

Sera met the ex-heiress's cold eyes and waited. Finally, Weiss said, "As unbearable and aggravating as you definitely are," she said hesitantly. "I admit, things were a lot less stressful with you around. Like those Apathy Grimm? Gods, your semblance would've been useful then—"

"Wait, the what Grimm?" Sera asked.

"Point is, we missed you," she finished.

"Aw, Weiss actually shared her feelings!" Nora cheered.

"Shut it, or I'll freeze you where you stand," Weiss threatened. That got a laugh from everyone present, even Maria.

"So," Qrow said, and all attention turned to him. "What the hell happened after the Spring Maiden's Vault?"

Attention shifted to Sera again. She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "Pull up a chair, cause it's a _long_ story."

. . .

"…Are you real?" Blake broke the thirty-second silence once Sera finished her story.

"You broke out of Salem's castle?" Qrow asked.

Sera looked up from the thermos cup of cocoa that Ruby had given her. "Uh-huh."

"How in the hell did you manage that?"

"Well, about that…" she turned the cup in her hands. "I sort of had some help."

Qrow narrowed his eyes. "What kind of help?"

She chuckled nervously. "You're not gonna like it."

 _Approximately two minutes later…_

"You _WHAT?!"_ Yang shot to her feet.

"I know, I know, but—"

"That is _way_ the hell out of line, Snowball!" She pointed a finger in Sera's face.

"Yang—" Ruby tried to put a hand on her shoulder.

"I don't know what the hell you were thinking doing that—" Yang continued her rant.

"I was thinking that I wanted to live!" Sera told her. "If Raven didn't pull me out of that hell hole, I'd still be there! I hate it too, but your mom saved my ass. I know, she's shitty, and she left. But the only reason she saved me, is because she knew you cared about me!"

That seemed to shake her out of her funk. "What?"

Sera took a deep breath. "She took one look at us and knew, Yang. Plus, I told her. She's a bad mom, a bad person, and you deserve a better mother. But just for a little while, she was good to me."

"Raven actually being a decent person? Doubtful," Qrow snickered.

"Well she did sic her entire camp on me for some sort of 'canonizing' thing," Sera muttered.

"She _what?"_ Ruby asked.

"Don't worry, I won," Sera waved her off.

"What the hell was she thinking?" Yang asked.

"That I needed to prove myself or something," Sera blew a strand of hair out of her face.

"What even," Weiss deadpanned.

"You tell me," Sera sighed. "I lose my sword, get captured by an evil immortal, have to stay with Raven Branwen, go through a train wreck, fight a friggin dragon, then—"

"About that," Pyrrha said. "When we went down to the Vault and found you, um, gone, we found this." She picked up a wrapped-up object that was leaning against a wall. It was about five feet long with a black handle sticking out of the wrapping.

"Is that…?" Sera's eyes widened.

"Yes, it is," Pyrrha unwrapped the object, revealing the shining blade of Crimson Eclipse.

"No way…" Sera approached the red head and picked it up gingerly. Pyrrha smiled when she handed the sword to her, which made Sera feel a bit better because if Pyrrha was taking care of it, she knew it had been sharpened and polished daily. Pyrrha was good like that.

"Oh, I've missed you," she held Crimson Eclipse to her chest.

"Yeah, we missed you too," Ruby said innocently.

"Wasn't talking to you this time, Rubes."

Ruby frowned and crossed her arms adorably. "Well fine, then."

Sera grinned and unsheathed her old sword, leaned it against the wall of the airship, then slowly sheathed Crimson Eclipse into its scabbard.

"You have no idea how good it is to have this back."

"What about your other sword?" Yang asked.

"Honestly, I don't feel much connection to that sword. When I first saw it, I remembered the day I made it and all the hours I put into maintaining and caring for it, but now… I dunno, it feels kind of sinister. But _this_ sword," Sera pointed at her back. "I got this while I was at Beacon, after I woke up to a world I didn't remember. I'm more attached to it because Beacon is more my home now than Shade."

"Well jeez," Yang joked. "All she did was ask you about her sword, not your whole life story."

Weiss nudged her with her elbow.

Sera smiled and sat down once more. "Okay, enough about me. What the hell happened with all of you?"

"Oh, boy," Ruby sighed. " _So_ much."

One rundown of Volume 6 later…

"I'm kinda jealous," Sera chuckled. "You didn't have to fight a dragon or crazy old lady."

"Yeah, but those Apathy Grimm were pretty nasty," Ruby said.

"So, you had Neo to help you through all that?" Blake asked.

"Yep."

"And she was with you when you were looking for us in Argus?" Pyrrha added.

"Correct."

"And from what you say, she's actually helping us and is on our side now?"

"That's right."

"So… Where is she now?" Qrow asked.

"Oh, she's back in…" Sera trailed off, her eyes widening in realization. "Oh, my DUUUUSSSST!"

"If you think we're going back, you've got another thing coming," Maria said sternly.

Sera put her hand in her hands and stared at the floor. "After all she went through with me, I just up and abandoned her."

"Hey," Yang sat beside her. "It's all right, she's a clever girl. If she meant what she said about helping us, she'll find her way back."

"Since when do you find Neo tolerable?"

"After you told us your side of the story," she intertwined her fingers with Sera's. "Don't get me wrong, I don't forgive her for her past. But I'm not going to let someone's past define them," Yang glanced at Blake, who gave a nod and smiled gratefully.

"Very adult of you," Sera squeezed Yang's hand.

"Yeah, well, had to grow up sometime, right?"

"Finally," Weiss huffed.

"Hey guys," Qrow said from the front of the airship. "You might wanna come see this."

RWBYS and JNPR shuffled towards the front, where the night sky was in full view. Everyone was crowded and had to stand shoulder-to-shoulder, but it somehow worked so everyone could see.

"See what? There's nothing there," Nora put in.

"Just wait for it," Weiss said unenthusiastically.

Then the clouds grew thinner as they got closer and closer. The bright lights of a city lit up the night sky with dozens of dazzling colors, but that isn't what caught everyone's eye. Floating several thousand feet in the air was a giant hunk of rock that seemed to have once been part of the city. More buildings laid out across the top, but the tallest towers seemed to be there.

Sera's first assumption was that some rich wackos decided to attach some booster rockets to the ground that held their towers and launch it into the air to protect their precious money and belongings from being destroyed for whatever reason.

But that was just her thought at first glance. This was Atlas, after all. There's no telling why there's a floating hunk of the city in the air.

"All the times I've been to Atlas," Maria said. "I never get tired of this view."

"It's beautiful," Ruby gasped.

"It kinda is, despite the, y'know, raging prejudice for the Faunus and distaste for peasants such as ourselves." Yang commented.

Everyone glanced at Weiss.

"Are you just gonna take that?" Nora asked.

"No, she's right. Why do you think I left here in the first place? Well, _one_ of the reasons, anyway," Weiss said.

"We're finally here, at least," Jaune shrugged.

"But what now?" Ruby asked.

"Find Ironwood," Qrow said, as if that answered everything. He probably wasn't sure himself.

Sera felt Yang grab her hand again, then looked to see her with a happy twinkle in her eyes.

"What's with you?" Sera asked.

"We made it. _All_ of us made it, and no one's getting separated again," she squeezed Sera's hand tighter.

The amnesiac smiled, pulled Yang into a one-armed hug, then kissed her cheek. "You're goddamn right."

Then they gazed out at the large city laid out before them and just enjoyed being with each other, and with all their friends.

 _ **(Song to conclude the finale of Volume 6: Here I Am from Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron)**_

 _ **Well, now we wait for Volume 7. Thinking about doing some filler chapters in the meantime or something, maybe Sera and Yang actually going on a date for wholesome reasons (Unless no one wants to see that). If anyone wants to pitch ideas, go ahead, cause I think it's still another month or so until V7.**_

 _ **To be continued…**_


	17. Mantle

We'd made it to Atlas.

Whenever the lower city of Mantle came into view, everyone on board our stolen airship to gather at the front.

"Wow," Sera commented. "That place looks like downtown Vale, but like, everywhere." She pointed at Mantle's dark streets. The entire lower city below Atlas's floating chunk of land looked like the shady side of town, except the whole town is shady.

"Manta Five-One, welcome home," a voice filtered through the radio. "Please continue your approach to Atlas docking bay Omega-twelve. A security team will meet you there. Over"

"I don't understand," Ruby said. "What's happening here?"

"I don't know," Qrow said, an uncertain look on his face.

"But we're here," Jaune said. "We got the lamp to Atlas. So, I guess we land and get some answers."

"I don't think so," Sera shook her head.

"Me either," Weiss said. "I've never seen our forces deployed so aggressively before. If we land on a stolen ship, there's no way they'll let us anywhere near Ironwood." Weiss watched Atlas with sad eyes. "They might even take me back to my father."

Team RWBYS looked at each uncertain yet determined eyes. There's no way they were going to let that happen, especially not after all the trouble they'd been through just to get here

"Winter!" Weiss thought aloud with wide eyes. She slipped her scroll out of her pocket and started typing. "Put as much distance between us and the fleet as you can," she told Maria.

"You don't need to tell me twice," the old lady responded.

"Just don't crash again, alright?" Sera deadpanned.

"Hmph," Maria huffed.

The airship flew across the city while Weiss tried to get in touch with her sister. Sera remembered Winter; they'd fought each other in Beacon's courtyard. Several months after, Sera wouldn't mind a rematch with Weiss's older sister.

The amnesiac hand was squeezed, and she looked over to see Yang at her side. Sera smiled and squeezed her hand back, interlacing their fingers tightly. Their shoulders touched lightly, and all worry in Sera's mind faded. Yang had a good way of doing that to her.

Everyone else was looking out at the rundown city with somber expressions. Civilians milled around as if in a daze. A lone Faunus with antlers on his head played a banjo in an alleyway.

"No matter what happens," Sera said in a hushed tone to Yang. "I'm not gonna let anything separate us all again."

"All of us, or me and you?" she smirked.

"I'll let you figure it out," Sera bumped her shoulder. She looked up when she heard General Ironwood's voice but returned her gaze to her team when she realized that it was only a recording on a very large screen. The general's beard had grown in fully since the last time they'd saw him.

"General Ironwood," Pyrrha said from beside Jaune. "He looks…"

"Tired," Ruby finished. "He looks so tired."

"James, what have you been doing?" Qrow asked the screen. Atlesian Knights patrolled the streets with guns while small chrome robots floated around as if they were watching everyone.

"This isn't right," Weiss said. She still couldn't get ahold of her sister. "None of this is right."

"Manta Five-One, we've noticed a detail in your route; you are to make your way to docking bay Omega-twelve _immediately._ Do you copy? Over." The woman over the speaker said, more urgently this time.

"We're kinda running out of time here, kids!" Maria said from the pilot's seat.

Sera glanced between the city and the ship's controls, and she knew what to do. "We need to ditch the ship. They could be tracking us for all we know."

"Agreed." Qrow stood and grabbed his weapon, Harbinger. "We can leave the ship in Mantle and buy ourselves some time."

Weiss stepped up to the front. "I'm telling you; my sister can take us to Ironwood."

"Uh, Weiss?" Blake said, her eyes looking out the side window of the airship. The ex-heiress cautiously approached the window, and her eyes widened. On the side of a tall building was a gigantic screen with Winter Schnee's face on it. She was spouting the same nonsense that Ironwood was.

"Weiss? I don't think we should see your sister anymore," Sera said, glancing over at the Schnee.

"There's obviously something _very_ wrong. If we could just talk to her—" Weiss said.

"Look," Qrow interrupted. "I'm not even sure we should be talking to Ironwood until we know what's going on with Mantle."

"Everyone, calm down," Maria sighed. "I know someone who can help with _both."_ The speaker piped up again, more urgently than ever, but Maria switched it off irritably. "Jeez, lady! Take a hint."

The airship dipped towards the ground, and they quickly found a spot to land. They exited the ship and hurried down the nearest alleyway as quickly as possible. Maria went onto the street first to make sure the coast was clear, then the rest of them followed. Maria, Qrow, and Pyrrha led in the front while Yang and I covered the back.

"Unbelievable," Sera muttered. "We're huntsmen and huntresses, and we have to sneak around like criminals."

"I don't like it either," Yang said gently. "But how about you keep that personality of yours in check until we're safe?"

Sera grumbled under her breath and crossed her arms. Yang chuckled, shaking her head at Sera's behavior.

"You're lucky I like your annoying ass," Sera mumbled.

"You're lucky I haven't beat your ass at this point," Yang grinned, her eyes flashing red.

"As if you could, Blondie," Sera said.

"Wanna bet?" she asked, a wicked gleam in her eyes.

Sera laughed. "Maybe later. Now's not the best time."

"Would you two quit flirting for two seconds?" Weiss hissed.

"Oh, no. Never," Yang smirked.

"You gotta lighten up, Ice Queen." Sera wrapped an arm around Yang's shoulders.

"Not the time nor place."

"Suit yourself," Yang shrugged.

"Guys, we're literally being hunted. If we're caught, there's no telling what could happen to us. So, could you two get back into huntress mode until later?" Blake asked. Sera and Yang met each other's eyes, and Sera removed her arm from around her shoulders, then slipped her hand into the blonde's.

"You're right," Yang said. "Sorry."

"Don't be," Qrow said from the front. "Happiness is rarely found in situations like these. Don't let that fire smolder; let it burn."

Sera nodded, then bumped her shoulder into Yang's again.

They crossed another street and walked for several more blocks before they found trouble. Maria was telling them something about Atlas and it floating in the sky when they crossed another street. A truck full of dirty workers passed by, all of them looking miserable.

"This whole city," Blake murmured. "It just all seems awful."

"Yeah?" a voice said. Everyone turned to see a man with a bottle in his hand. "You don't like it here? Well, there's plenty of space out in the tundra." He slurred. Blake tried to apologize, but he kept going. "Atlas is the greatest kingdom in the world!"

Ruby tried to confront him, but Blake stopped her. "We can't cause a scene."

A second guy sitting on a stairwell spoke up. "The embargo—the embargo has got us in a rough spot, but it'll blow over soon. You'll see."

"We try and help the other kingdoms, and _this_ is what happens?" the first guy said. "I say let 'em rot!"

It was Sera's turn to step forward, but Blake put her other arm up to stop her. The Faunus gave her a meaningful look, and Sera backed off. "I'm sorry guys, I didn't mean to insult you," Blake said.

The first guy spat at their feet. "Stupid Faunus like you wouldn't understand—" The man was suddenly blasted into the air and landed inside a dumpster with a heavy thud. A black glyph had appeared at his feet. Sera and the others turned to look at Weiss, who had Myrtenaster raised.

"It was worth it," she shrugged. Immediately, Atlesian Knights came over to investigate, and everyone took off down the street.

"Hey, wait!" the second guy called out. "You're Weiss—" he was suddenly silenced. When the group turned to see why, he was suddenly on the ground, a trashcan lid with a large crater in it on his head. Sera had been running alongside Yang beforehand but was now at Weiss's side.

"What?" she asked when she saw the ex-heiress's incredulous look. "Couldn't have that asshole telling the bots about you, could we?" She saw Weiss suppress a smile and smirked.

. . .

"Here we are," Maria announced as they approached a corner. "Ah, it's good to see you again, old friend!" she greeted as she entered the door of a building. A large man with dark skin and a white beard sat behind a big desk. He sat in a large green contraption that appeared to walk on four metal legs.

"Ah, yes." He smiled kindly and leaned onto his desk. "Have we met?"

"Well this is off to a great start," Ren commented.

"Uh, cybernetic optical implants? You check up on them every ten years or so?" Maria said.

The man looked hard at Maria's face for a few long seconds, then exclaimed, "Maria! Of course, I check up on your eyes every ten years or so. Has it been that long already?"

"Yes, I know; I age like fine wine," Maria joked. "Would've been here sooner if I hadn't run into _these_ jokers."

"Would've been here sooner if your flying skills didn't leave us crashing and burning," Sera muttered. Yang elbowed her.

Qrow cleared his throat. "And this guy is…?"

Maria Calavera sighed heavily. "So impatient. I didn't think I'd need to introduce one of Atlas's finest minds."

"Working in a place like this?" Yang asked. A piece of the ceiling promptly fell and crashed to the floor.

"He likes to keep a low profile, something that none of _you_ know anything about," Maria told them.

"Clearly," Sera mumbled.

"I'm Pietro," the man put a hand on his chest. "This is where I volunteer," he gestured to the workshop."

"When you're not building the future alongside Ironwood up there," Maria told him, pointing upwards.

"Down here, I get to help the locals. I don't like that stuffy Atlas air anyway."

"Can't blame you there," Weiss crossed her arms.

"I've been working on a few new projects recently. Shoes that make you dance, an arm that can extend for greater reach, and even a pair of prosthetic legs that will let the wearer run as fast as any car."

"Actually," Yang said, stepping forward. "We were hoping you could help us. Although, arm _does_ sound promising."

Sera smirked and went to Yang's side. "We all came to Atlas hoping to talk to General Ironwood, but judging by those screens…"

"What is wrong with him?" Blake asked.

Pietro coughed hard, clutching his chest. "The Fall of Beacon was hard on all of us."

"You can say that again," Sera said, self-consciously glancing at Yang's arm.

"James was no different," Pietro continued. "I couldn't tell you exactly what he saw there, but it changed him. He's—"

"He's scared," Qrow said.

"Paranoid is more like it," Pietro sniffed. "But try to understand; it wasn't just the Grimm. Someone hacked into Atlas's system, completely blew past their security. Made us look like traitors to some and buffoons to the other. Whoever managed to do that is either a complete genius or one of our own. I fear that it may be both, and so does Ironwood."

"How does the council feel about all this?" Weiss asked.

"We came all this way. We can't just leave, can we?" Oscar asked.

"Well, the council's so scared, they'll agree to anything James wants. But with Mantle…" Pietro put a hand to his forehead, then snapped it away as if he'd thought of something. "Wait a minute… You're Weiss Schnee," he pointed. Weiss gasped and took a step back. Sera didn't really understand why. Sure, they were technically in hiding right now, but Pietro seemed all right.

"Wait, what were you saying about Mantle?" Yang asked. Pietro's eyes stared at her prosthetic arm.

"You painted it," he stated. Then he glanced between Yang, Weiss, Blake and Ruby with sharp eyes. "You—You're team RWBY."

"You know us?" Ruby asked.

"Oh, my girl, I do. And I feel like such a dunce for not recognizing you sooner."

Sera cleared her throat. When Pietro and her team glanced at her, she gave a small smile. "Uh, team _RWBYS,_ actually."

"Right," Ruby said. "This is Sera, our fifth teammate."

"I'm afraid I don't know you, young lady," Pietro looked to her with kind eyes. "When did you join their team?"

"What was it?" Sera glanced at Qrow. "A month before the Vytal Festival?"

"Give or take," he shrugged.

"That explains it. My daughter's told me so much about them, but it seems that she didn't have the opportunity to meet you."

"Your daughter?" Ruby quirked an eyebrow.

Sirens suddenly blared in the streets, drawing their attention. Outside of an open door, people were running down the street with panicked expressions.

"Trouble," Jaune drew his sword and ran for the door, the rest of the huntsmen and huntresses following.

"Wait!" Pietro warned, but it was too late; they were gone. All eleven of them spread out in the street, readying their weapons. Sera drew Crimson Eclipse and smiled at the familiar weight in her hands.

"Guess the city defenses aren't doing much," Oscar noted.

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me," Nora said. Several Knights were flung across the street, and more were slowly backing away from an unseen threat. They kept firing at it, then a large Grimm pounced one. It was sleek and feline with a pair of long fangs reaching its bottom jaw. _A Sabretooth,_ Sera thought.

When several more showed up from the same direction, Ruby swung Crescent Rose and planted its blade in the concrete. "Well, we came this far. We're not letting anything stop us now."

Yang blasted to the side via Ember Celica and flew towards the Grimm. Then Nora used Pyrrha's shield as a springboard like she did in the Vytal Tournament and launched herself towards the line of charging Grimm.

"When you try to hide from the party, the party finds you," Sera muttered.

"What?" Oscar asked. With a grin, Sera ran to join her friends.

With a single swing of her sword, she cleaved a Grimm in half, then kept running. Yang was punching down as many as she could, but more of the Sabretooths kept pouring down the street. Qrow and Ruby were doing excellent with their scythes, slicing Grimm apart like a blender.

When a group of the Grimm turned to her, Sera leaped into the air and stomped two of their heads with all her might. She swept her sword through the air and vaporized another. When one managed to knock her aside, she jumped towards it and brought her foot down on its head. The Sabre crumpled to the ground, then Sera finished it off with a gunshot from Silver Linings.

Sera heard a yelp, then something hit the ground, and she whipped around to see a dead Sabretooth Grimm just a few feet behind her. Yang winked at her and cocked Ember Celica, an empty shell ejecting from its receiver. Sera nodded gratefully and twirled Silver Linings on her finger before holstering it smoothly.

Before she could cut down any more of the Grimm, a large green laser cut down the Sabretooth directly in front of Sera. The huntress blinked and looked at where the laser had come from, but nothing was there. Then several more lasers came from the sky and blasted the Grimm to dust. One by one, they fell. Whenever all the Grimm had died, Sera and the others regrouped at a crossroads. Then something incredible happened.

A lone figure blasted through the sky with what appeared to be rocket propelled boots. Green fire jetted from their feet as they spun as if in a ballet, then slowly floated to the ground. Everyone was mystified as the now apparent orange-haired girl touched down. She had flowing orange hair with soft green eyes. She wore a fancy grey top and short black skirt. Green suspenders rested on her shoulders, and a black and green bow rested on her head.

The funny thing was that Sera recognized her. Her hair was much longer than before, but it was the same girl. Pietro was right; she and Sera hadn't met, because the only time Sera had saw her, she had been ripped to shreds by Pyrrha Nikos in the Vytal Tournament.

"Penny…?" Ruby asked.

Pietro smiled warmly. "Why don't you say hello to your friends?" He asked Penny. When the girl saw who her father was talking about, her face lit up with a broad grin.

"Sal…" she said as she hunkered down. Ruby quirked an eyebrow at her old friend. "U…" Penny got lower to the ground, making Ruby widen her stance in surprise. "TATIONS!" Penny shouted as she took off, using her rocket boots, blasting past everyone in the blink of an eye.

Ruby flailed wildly as she exclaimed in surprise, but it was too late; Penny collided with her full-force, and they went tumbling.

"What just happened?" Sera blinked.

Penny hopped to her feet in an instant while Ruby was still trying to recover. "It is _so_ good to see you all again!"

Pyrrha appeared at Ruby's side, looking absolutely mortified.

"Penny," Ruby said. "I thought you…"

"Died?" Pietro asked. "Well, in a way I guess she did. But her robotics were recovered from Amity Arena, and I was able to rebuild her. It took some time, but, well look!"

"I'm as good as new! Better, even," Penny saluted. "And now, I'm the official protector of Mantle's people!"

"That's my girl," Pietro said warmly. "We're not going to let a little 'ripping to shreds' stop us, are we?"

"Penny," Pyrrha said, and the orange-haired robot girl looked at her curiously. "I am _so_ sorry." The Invincible Girl had tears in her eyes. Everyone knew she was still torn up about what she'd accidentally done to Penny. She still woke up in cold sweat about it.

"Oh, Pyrrha," Penny frowned. "Do not worry, I forgive you. It wasn't your fault that that devil of a woman had me ripped to pieces," she said in an overly cheery tone that was a little creepy.

"But if that hadn't happened, you would've never—"

"Pyrrha," Jaune put a hand on her shoulder. "It's all right." Pyrrha searched his eyes for a moment, then nodded and wiped her eyes.

Penny smiled, then grabbed Ruby's shoulders. "I'm so glad you're here! We have so much to catch up about!" Then more sirens went off a few blocks away. "It seems we will have to wait." Her smile never wavered. She stepped back and saluted as her boots got ready for takeoff. "Let's talk more later, I can't wait to hear about your adventures!" she said as she blasted away.

"I have absolutely no idea what just happened." Sera rested Crimson Eclipse onto her shoulder.

"Welcome to Penny," Yang shrugged.

"Let's get off the street, shall we?" Pietro said as he walked towards his shop in his chair.

"Well that was unexpected," Jaune said.

"Never a dull moment," Ren shrugged.

"But not unwelcome," Qrow added. "Honestly, I was expecting things to go much worse for us."

"Oh well, let's catch up with Pietro before we lose him." Sera sheathed her sword and walked after Pietro and Maria.

They made it about five feet before everyone sensed tension in the air. Team JNPR and Oscar were the first to drop. Boleros wrapped around each of them and caused them to drop.

"What?" Yang turned, but then she, Blake, and Ruby went down next.

Qrow and Sera drew their swords in alarm. Qrow checked their surroundings but saw nothing. Then another bolero came out of nowhere, and the huntsman went down.

Sera whirled around, eyes flying between every nook and cranny in the street.

"On your left!" Yang called. Sera turned and knocked a bolero aside with her sword.

"Behind you!" Ruby warned. Sera jumped straight into the air and turned her body to get a look from every angle. As soon as her feet touched the ground, another bolero wrapped around her ankles and caused her to fall.

 _Damn it…!_ She cursed to herself as she dropped her sword to untie the bolero. Before she could get it off, several figures in white uniforms dropped from the surrounding rooftops. They surrounded the huntsmen and huntresses, cocky smirks on their faces.

One of them approached Sera and looked down on her. The woman had tan skin and an odd hairstyle that's light-colored in the front. Her pink eyes glanced over Sera with a strange light in them.

"You put up quite a fight, white hair," she said.

"Hey, pal!" Qrow grunted. "I'm a registered huntsman! Just helped save everyone?" Then the uniformed people started picking up their weapons. One of them tried to grab the Relic but pulled his hand back when a bullet hit the ground near the Relic. He and the others turned to see Sera aiming Silver Linings at him.

"Keep your hand away from that," she warned.

"Still fighting even when you're captured," the man chuckled.

Sera took a deep breath, then she suddenly wasn't there. The bolero that was wrapped around her ankles sat in a heap.

"What the-?" the man exclaimed.

"Uh, beside you, sir," another said. His head turned to the right to see the white-haired huntress holding her revolver to his temple. She smirked and pressed it against his head. "Not bad," the man chuckled.

"Thanks," Sera said. "Now let my friends go."

"Girl, you're outnumbered, and I doubt that gun of yours will get past my aura."

"Wanna bet?" she pulled the hammer back.

"Sera," Qrow said, and she looked down at him. "Don't; it's not worth the trouble."

"I can take these guys," Sera frowned and turned her attention back to the man on the business end of Silver Linings.

"If these guys are who I think they are, I doubt that."

"Well, she might have like a twenty-five percent chance of winning," Weiss said.

"They have her sword," Qrow replied.

"Five percent chance."

"Listen to your friends, purple eyes," the man smirked. Sera glared at him for another ten seconds before lowering her gun. When she did, one of the uniformed women took Silver Linings out of her grip and put her in handcuffs.

"Load them onto the next transport ship," the uniformed man said as he picked up the Relic.

"What is the meaning of this?" Pietro asked. "What are the Ace Ops even _doing_ down here?"

"Ace Ops?" Ruby asked.

"Sounds like some sort of Atlesian task force," Sera muttered.

"Spot on, love," the tan girl said from behind her. "Shame we had to meet like this," she said in a quieter voice. Sera shivered in response and glanced back at her.

"Sorry, I don't flirt with people who ambush my friends and I."

"Doctor, good to see you," the man said. "We got a report of an unauthorized ship making an unauthorized landing with non-licensed huntsmen making use of unauthorized weapons."

"If we could just talk this out?" Pietro asked.

"They'll be able to talk this out once we get up to Atlas," he replied. "Let's move out!"

He and the other Ace Ops leaped to the buildings, leaving them. The tan-skinned one winked at Sera before taking off, earning an annoyed groan from Yang. Sera gave her an uncomfortable look, trying to show her that she didn't like the way the Ace Op talked to her.

"Hated that," Sera mumbled an stretched her wrists inside the cuffs. "What now?"

"I say we bust outta here!" Nora said.

"Don't. It'll just cause more trouble," Qrow pointed with his head towards the Atlesian Knights coming their way.

Minutes later, they were being shoved into a transport ship, everyone in cuffs. Sera rolled her eyes as she leaned against the wall behind her. Fortunately, she was put in the seat between Yang and Pyrrha.

"Now, this—this is much closer to what I was expecting," Qrow said.

Sera glanced over at the Atlesian soldiers guarding them. "I still have, ahem, Yang's bracelet," she said quietly.

"Like I said before, it's not worth the trouble," Qrow said.

"This is messed up," Jaune commented.

"Welcome to Atlas," Weiss said with fake enthusiasm.

Sera looked over to Yang. She was staring ahead with red eyes and a clenched jaw. "You okay?" she whispered.

"Fine," Yang said stiffly.

"You mad at that woman?"

Yang didn't respond.

"Hey, I didn't like that, either. Don't be mad at me about it, please?" Sera whispered and bumped her shoulder into the blonde's. Yang's expression softened, and her eyes returned to lilac.

"I'm gonna punch her lights out if I see her again," she whispered.

Sera smirked and put her head on Yang's shoulder as best as she could. Their friends paid no mind except for one or two of them smiling lightly at them, which Sera appreciated. She and Yang had really just started out being "a thing," but their friends had just silently accepted it, aside from Qrow and Taiyang giving them their blessing.

There were several things Sera wanted to tell her, but she'd have to wait until they were alone, or at least right in front of everyone. _If_ they were ever alone again.

 _Can this be over already?_

The ship took off, heading up towards Atlas.


	18. Atlas Academy

The flight to Atlas was depressing. Everyone was gazing either out the window or at their boots. Sera and Yang couldn't grab each other's hands with handcuffs on, so they had to settle for touching knees. Except for Nora. She was chewing on her restraints.

It was just them and some other guy in the back of the transport airship. The other guy wore black clothes and had a scruffy black beard and tied back hair.

"Where do you think they're taking us?" Ruby broke the silence.

"My guess is gonna be jail," Qrow deadpanned.

"I still can't believe that 'fishing pole' guy took us out like it was nothing," Jaune said.

"Welcome to Atlas," Weiss said again. "Those were Ironwood's Ace Operatives."

"You guys had a run in with the Ace Ops?" the stranger asked.

"Apparently," Sera said.

"Ironwood must really have a bone to pick with you," he said.

"They're not _that_ big of a deal," Weiss rolled her eyes.

The man looked at her incredulously. "Not that big of a deal? They're Atlas's top elite military huntsmen." He eyed them individually. "Ironwood's personal attack dogs."

"So, they got you too, huh?" Nora asked.

"Pfft," he said, his face suddenly nervous. "I wouldn't let myself get caught by them. _I'm_ here because I'm speaking out against Atlas's cruelty—"

"You threw a brick at a ship!" the Atlesian pilot said.

"It's worth it if it gets people talking about our cause!" he straightened his back, miffed.

"'Our cause?'" Blake raised an eyebrow.

"Yes! The fight for better conditions in Mantle! Led by the charismatic, talented, lovely, Robin Hill and her Happy Huntresses!"

The pilot closed the window dividing them from Sera and the others.

The man stood, trying to say as much as he could before the window closed. "They were all top Atlas Academy graduates that _could've_ signed up for the military, but Robin and her huntresses chose to stay in Mantle. She's gunning for a seat on the kingdom's council, and when she gets it she's going to put an end to Ironwood's tyranny!"

"Sure, pal," Sera snorted as the window closed.

"Happy huntresses?" Oscar asked.

"Is that their real name?" Yang asked.

"Don't you think 'tyranny' is a little dramatic?" Weiss asked.

"Easy to say for a Schnee heiress living comfortably in Atlas castles," he spat.

"Hey pal," Sera said. When he looked at her, the amnesiac willed her eyes to turn glowing red with black sclera. "Shut up."

The man's eyes widened, but he clamped his mouth shut.

"I'm not an heiress anymore," Weiss sighed.

The airship rose over the skyline of Atlas and veered towards a tall tower that lit up the night sky. Ruby, Blake, and Pyrrha stood to look out the window.

"It's beautiful," Ruby said.

"Don't let that fool you," Weiss murmured.

"I guess we're not going to jail," Sera noted.

"Atlas Academy," Jaune marveled.

The airship landed in a courtyard, and the back doors opened for its passengers to exit. They all stepped out, save for the guy preaching about that "Robin Hill" girl.

The eleven of them gasped up at the tower that dominated the sky.

"Keep it moving," a guard nudged Ren forward.

"I guess we _will_ be talking to Ironwood," Ruby said. "For better or worse."

"I'm gonna go with 'worse,'" Sera commented as they trudged towards the tower.

It took several minutes, but they finally made it to the tower. After entering, they loaded onto a fancy elevator and rode upwards.

"What do we do?" Ren asked in a hushed voice.

"I don't know yet," Ruby admitted. "But we should be careful with what we say."

Sera brushed shoulders with the scythe wielder and gave a smile that was meant to be reassuring. Ruby returned it, then set her head straight with a tightened jaw.

The elevator door slid open with a ding, and the people they saw caught them by surprise. General Ironwood, Winter Schnee, and Penny turned a corner and started walking away from them. At the last second, Penny turned and saw them.

"Yay! You're here!" she greeted. Weiss stepped out from behind Ruby and faced her sister.

"Winter," she awed. Surprise spread across Winter's face.

"Oh, great," Sera shoulders slumped.

Winter straightened. "You have ten seconds to remove those cuffs before I hurt both of you," she told the guards. They glanced at each other questioningly, then immediately rushed to uncuff Ruby and the others. "Not her," Winter said once one of the guards lifted Sera's wrists.

"What?" Sera demanded.

"I like this one just as she is," Winter smirked.

"You must be joking," Qrow said.

"Not at all," Winter said before turning and walking away from them. Ironwood looked across them with indifference before following the Schnee.

"Great," Sera glanced down at her still cuffed hands.

"Don't worry," Nora told her. "We'll spring you once we get the 'deets' from Ironwood."

"Nora, I'm going with you," Sera raised an eyebrow.

"Shh," the hammer wielder pressed a finger to her lips, leaving the amnesiac speechless.

Within a minute, they were all standing in General Ironwood's office.

"It is so good to see you all again," Ironwood told them, his eyes lingering on Sera for a moment. When she caught his eyes, he quickly averted his gaze and headed to his desk.

"Our reception didn't really convey that," Yang rubbed her wrist with her prosthetic hand.

Ironwood sighed. "I sincerely regret how you were treated by my team. When we saw an unauthorized ship enter our airspace, it raised some red flags. We assumed the airship was stolen." He sat in his desk.

"What? Stolen? Pssh, nah… It wasn't… Yeah, maybe it was stolen…" Ruby said shyly. Ironwood looked surprised, but he chuckled lightly. However, Winter did not find it as amusing.

"You _stole_ an Atlas airship?" she stepped forward. "What were you thinking? You could've been shot down, or—"

Weiss suddenly rushed forward and hugged her sister. "Yes, we stole it," she said. "We did what we had to do. I'm sorry for making you worry." Winter sighed and hugged her back, genuine relief on her face.

"I cannot believe that you allowed this to happen, _Qrow,"_ Winter glared at the huntsman once she and Weiss separated.

"Hey, you try dissuading these kids when they put their minds to something," Qrow told her. "Speaking of which," Qrow looked at the general. "We have some important information for you that's confidential."

"Like the Relic?" Winter asked as she rejoined Ironwood at his side.

"Or the Winter Maiden?" Penny asked.

"Or the fact that _she_ is the progeny of Salem?" Winter pointed a crooked finger at Sera. The amnesiac blinked, then glared at the Schnee once she recovered from being outed. She felt someone put a hand on each of her shoulders, and she turned around to see that it was Yang and Blake. Sera relaxed at their touch, but maintained her death glare at Winter.

Qrow's face soured. "You told them?"

Ironwood reached into his desk and pulled the Relic from Haven's vault and allowed it to float on his desk. "Did you really think you were the only one to work on a new plan after Beacon? With Ozpin gone, I needed my own team of people I could trust. So yes, I told them. Even about Sera. The Ace Ops, too. Which is why I'm so glad that you're here with the Relic. Until now, I thought it was impossible to have a chance against Salem. Ozpin has pushed her back; has kept victory out of her claws, but she will keep returning. Stronger and stronger every time."

"Not if I have anything to do with it," Sera stepped forward, her handcuffs still binding her wrists. "I don't care _who_ she is to me, that woman is not going to win. And I don't want any of you to treat me like I'm some sort of disease," Sera said pointedly at Winter. "I've fought against her in her own throne room after escaping the hellish cell she put me in, so don't you think that I have any sort of allegiance to that _woman,"_ she told them sternly.

Ironwood and Winter both looked taken aback by her words, especially at the part about being in her throne room.

"And I'll gladly kick the ass of anyone who has a goddamn thing to say about it," she stared Ironwood in the eyes. The stare down lasted several heartbeats before Ironwood sighed, a smirk playing on his lips.

"You didn't need to convince me of anything," he said. "I knew you were on our side after seeing you in the Fall of Beacon, Sera. And I apologize for my subordinate's behavior," he glanced at Winter. The Schnee's face soured as she averted her eyes.

"Good," Sera nodded. "Because I am tired of people looking at me like a freak."

"There'll be no judgement from me," Ironwood assured. "And—you have my permission to defend your dignity and pride if any of my Ace Ops have a problem with you, or any of your friends."

Sera nodded, relieved by the General's words. "Now," she raised her bound wrists. "Can someone get me out of these?"

After a quick order, Penny came forward and ripped the handcuffs off with ease. _I could've done that,_ Sera rubbed her sore wrists as Penny returned to Ironwood's side.

"What about the Relic here in Atlas?" Ruby asked.

"You mean the Staff of Creation?" Ironwood asked.

"It's safe inside the Vault," Penny proclaimed.

"The Winter Maiden?" Qrow asked.

"She's secure, and in stable condition," Winter replied.

"Stable condition?" Yang asked.

"Let's just say she isn't exactly up and at 'em," Qrow said.

Ironwood sighed. "I know we don't look the most trustworthy right now. Recalling my military, the embargo."

"Then why continue it?" Pyrrha asked.

"The people of Mantle are hurting," Nora said.

"I needed to ensure that Salem couldn't infiltrate Atlas. I needed my military here, protecting everyone," Ironwood said.

"But it's not working, it's making everyone hate you," Yang said. Sera nodded in agreement. The status of the people of Mantle was depressing. They might as well have been in famine.

Ironwood exhaled. "It's a price I'm willing to pay." He pressed a button at his desk, and a circular impression in the floor rose and split into separate pieces, creating a wide tabletop-like structure. Covers slid over the windows and filled the room with darkness. "Just as you all have been entrusted with the info on Salem, I need you all to trust me; I have a plan." Then Ironwood walked up to the table with his hands clasped behind his back. "Ozpin believed the best way to fight Salem was to do so in secret. Whether that was the right choice or not isn't for me to say. We find ourselves in the position of needing—well, a new approach."

"What do you suggest?" Qrow asked.

Ironwood clicked a button on a small remote in his hand, and a hologram of Amity Arena flickered into existence.

"The Amity Colosseum Ruby asked.

"Correct. When Beacon fell and everyone on Remnant lost contact with one another, I knew our current system was outdated. Amity was built to bring the nations together, and it will soon do so again." Ironwood clicked the remote, and the hologram was altered until a large antenna was on top of Amity Colosseum. "Rather than replace Beacon Tower, we will build a new tower on top of Amity."

"And restore global communications," Penny finished. "Isn't it grand?"

"Our scientists believe we can launch the new tower into the atmosphere and create a sort of 'satellite' in the sky. With the tower out of reach of the Grimm and Salem, communications will be permanent," Winter added.

"James, you don't need the entire military for this," Qrow said.

"No, but I will need them for the next step," Ironwood gazed down. "For when I finally tell the people about Salem."

Dreadful silence hung in the air.

"So that's why you withdrew your troops," Qrow guessed. "To handle the panic that would break out back in Atlas."

"There will surely be panic, and panic brings Grimm. But I believe we are ready for it. Once the Atlas military has come to terms with the fight to come, I'll use Amity Tower to spread the message to the whole world." Ironwood explained.

"But Grimm will spread everywhere with the distress that'll cause!" Weiss said.

"You're right," Winter said. "But Atlas is willing and prepared to help."

"Trying to hide the truth from the world will eventually kill us all," Ironwood clicked his remote. The hologram faded and the table began to deconstruct and return to the floor as the shutters raised and sunlight poured into the office.

"Oz spent his whole life, _many_ lives, keeping this secret," Qrow said.

"I know. But since Beacon, things have changed." Ironwood walked to his desk. "But without his guidance, all I can use is my best judgement." Then he turned to an uncomfortable-looking Oscar. "What is it?"

"Uh, well—Ozpin isn't actually _completely_ gone," Oscar said.

Qrow let out a sigh. "You see, Oscar here is the next Ozpin."

Ironwood's face brightened as he approached Oscar. "Oz?" He kneeled down to Oscar's level. "I'm so glad you're here—"

"Eh, not quite," Oscar interrupted. "He's kind of…gone?"

"That's not normal," James shook his head. "How did he—"

"We don't know," Ruby said, gaining a questioning glance from everyone present. "We were in a train crash, and suddenly Ozpin wasn't there anymore," Ruby said with a hint of uncertainty.

Yang nudged Sera, confirming the amnesiac's suspicions: Ruby was lying to the General. Sera hadn't been present when they'd gotten into a train crash; she didn't know anything that happened with them after they were all separated.

"That's the worst news yet," Ironwood sighed as he stood. "Did you learn anything about the Relics beforehand?"

"He told us the Lantern could answer three questions, but they were all already answered," Ruby replied.

 _Sure, Rubes,_ Sera thought. _But what did you ask that genie that would make Ozpin lock himself within Oscar?_

"Right, right…" James turned and meandered to his desk. "Ozpin told us that too, once upon a time. At least we have you, Oscar. You're safe in Atlas. Maybe together we can figure out how to bring Ozpin back."

"Thank you, sir," Oscar said gratefully. Ironwood nodded and picked up the Lantern, then approached Ruby and held it out for her.

"You're giving it back to me?" she asked.

"After what happened with the Ace Ops, I don't want you to think that we're hiding anything from you. Especially something as important as this. For the time being, I think it's safest with the people who brought it here."

"Thank you," Ruby accepted the Relic and clipped it to her belt.

"We must work together if we are to fight Salem and win," Ironwood said to everyone. "Now, if you're all on board…"

"Tell us how we can help," Ruby said.

"Good," Ironwood smiled lightly. "Because getting the Amity Tower ready to launch won't be easy. But first," James turned as a hologram appeared. It was a clip from their fight earlier of Blake pulling out Gambol Shroud, half of its blade missing. "I think we better get your weapons up to _our_ standards."

Sera's eyes filled with wonder at that. Those words implied many things, all of them promising.

"Remember, this is Atlas," Winter said. "While working for our personnel, we will provide you with the best equipment our scientists can devise."

"Oh, boy," Sera said. "This should be interesting."

. . .

Sera and the others descended a flight of stairs into a round room. Before they made it down, they heard voices echoing from the bottom of the stairwell. Sera glanced at her teammates just as they reached the bottom. She had a feeling who was waiting for them, and her suspicions were shortly confirmed.

The Ace Ops were at the opposite side of the room but walked to intercept the huntsmen and huntresses. The lead guy, the one with short brown hair and the fishing pole weapon, stepped forward and spoke to them, "I'd like to formally apologize for the miscommunication down in Mantle. We didn't—"

"I feel so bad!" a tall woman with prominent muscles grabbed Sera's hand and shook it hard. "If we had known who you were, we would be laughing over a hot meal right now!" The amnesiac was nearly lifted off her feet from the strength of the woman, but she held fast and stopped her from shaking so hard. "Wow," she said. "You're a strong one."

Sera smirked as she straightened her jacket. _Stronger than you, likely._

"Ahem," a darker-skinned guy with long brown hair and a wolf tail said to the buff woman. "That's, you know."

"And? She's one of us!" the woman said.

Sera quirked an eyebrow. It didn't take a genius to figure out what they were talking about.

"Problem?" Sera asked, remembering what Ironwood said about defending her pride. She was tired, weaponless, and not in the mood to fight, but she would if someone was going to make a scene.

"Not at all," the tan girl with pink eyes said smoothly, saving her teammate. "We're just not used to the idea of fighting alongside the very woman we're trying to destroy."

"We understand," Ruby said, trying not to smirk at her teammate. "You were just following orders in Mantle." She changed the subject.

"I mean, you could've asked us some questions first," Weiss said.

"We just wanted to say that we're sorry, and that we're looking forward to working with you on our next mission," the leader said.

"Especially with the champion of Mistral!" the buff woman said, gesturing to Pyrrha. The Invincible Girl blushed with embarrassment but nodded in response.

"You're only students, but you've been fighting just as hard as we have. Some of you even harder," he cast his eyes to Ruby, JNPR, and Sera.

"Exactly why I'm looking forward to seeing what you kids can do," the tan girl with pink eyes said, her eyes on Sera. Yang's fists clenched as she stood at the amnesiac's side.

"Not everything's a competition, Har," a bald pale guy said.

Before Yang could assault the girl, Penny jumped to the front of Sera's group and spread her arms. "Come on, I'll show you around campus!" Then the robotic girl marched enthusiastically towards a hallway. The others, except for the Ace Ops, followed Penny further into Atlas Academy.

Penny tried to explain which room was which in the large campus, but the truth was that Ruby and the others were exhausted. The last sleep they'd gotten was short naps on the stolen airship to Mantle, and they'd all been through a lot.

"This all looks great, Penny," Ruby yawned. "But where are we staying?" her shoulders slouched.

"Remember, you're in Atlas now. As the most highly funded academy on Remnant, every team gets their own room—"

"So, we'll be staying in the dorms?" Ren asked tiredly.

"It'll be just like Beacon again!" Penny cheered.

"Penny, please just show us to our rooms," Yang groaned.

"Very well, friend Yang! This way!" Penny turned a corner. Within minutes, they were all in a room for each team. Oscar bunked with JNPR since RWBYS was an all-girl team.

Sera didn't hesitate to fall onto a bed and curl up. She didn't even bother to change her clothes.

"I'm so tired," she groaned into a pillow.

"Rest up, then," Blake chuckled. "Because apparently we have a mission tomorrow."

"With the Ace Ops," Yang rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I wonder how that's gonna go," Weiss commented.

"But we get upgrades!" Ruby said excitedly.

"That should be interesting," Sera said, her voice still muffled.

"We'll find out more about it tomorrow," Blake said as she sat on a bed.

"And on that note," Sera pulled a blanket over herself. Someone sat on the bed she was on and lifted the blanket.

"Scooch over, Snowball. You're hogging the bed," Yang said as she laid herself down. Sera smirked into the pillow and made room for the blonde.

"Thought you were gonna bunk with Ruby," Sera said.

"You kidding? She snores."

"Hey!" Ruby said indignantly.

"Whatever, just go to bed," Weiss said as she flipped the lights off.

"Yeah, yeah, Ice Queen," Sera chuckled as she entangled herself with Yang and closed her eyes. When a pair of lips pressed against her own, she opened her eyes to see Yang grinning at her.

"What?" Sera smirked.

"We made it to Atlas," she said quietly.

"So, what, you're celebrating?" Sera asked.

She smiled. "You tell me." Then she kissed her again, more passionately this time, and it made Sera the happiest she'd been in weeks.


	19. Official Huntsmen

The next morning, Sera woke up feeling more well rested and rejuvenated than she had in weeks. When her eyes flickered open, she found Yang holding onto her torso tightly, her face peaceful while she slept.

Sera chuckled and relaxed into the bed. She'd wait for Yang instead of risking waking her up.

Ten minutes later, her team was up and at 'em.

 _ **(Just gonna speed through this and get to when they're flying in the airship.)**_

Needless to say, everyone was impressed with what Atlas had done with their weapons and equipment. Each member of RWBYS and JNPR got their own metal box filled with goodies. After they were refitted with their new equipment, the nine of them joined Qrow in Ironwood's office to be briefed on the mission they were about to undertake.

Afterwards they boarded two separate airships and took off. It took nearly an hour to reach their destinations, and they anticipation of using their new weapons was getting to them.

Sera grinned to herself as she remembered opening her crate in Atlas's lab. Once she'd changed clothes, she inspected her reflection with excited eyes.

" _Not bad," Sera grinned as she looked at herself. Atlas had given her a brand-new outfit inspired by her old white and purple clothes. Now, she wore a sleeveless violet dress shirt under a stylish sleeveless white coat that was so long it reached her thighs. On her bottom half was pair of well-fitting, tactical pants with a new gun belt on her hips. The belt was purple with a large Omega symbol silver buckle on the front. On her feet were a pair of black leather combat boots with violet soles and trim._

 _Sitting at the bottom of the box were a pair of black bracers, which struck Sera as odd. She'd never worn bracers, but no doubt it'd look better to wear them than to have nothing but her tattoos on her arms. When she picked up the bracers, she noticed that they had silver Omega symbols located on the front, near the bottom so they sat right above her wrists._

 _When she put them on, she noted that the left bracer was significantly heavier than the right._

" _Wow," a voice said just before Sera could brush her fingers against the Omega symbols. She turned to see Yang standing there, now decked out in her new outfit. A leather aviator jacket was worn over a set of stylish tan clothes. She wore her old orange bandana around her neck, and a pair of high brown leather boots were on her feet. "Nice look."_

" _I can say the same to you," Sera looked her up and down. "Just one last touch," she slipped the half of Ember Celica that Yang had given her onto her right wrist._

 _Yang grinned and stepped up to her, and Sera had to look up slightly to meet her eyes. "You ready for this?"_

" _Ready to be back in the field on an actual assignment rather than fighting for my life on the road? 'Ready' is an understatement," Sera smirked._

" _Alright, alright, smart ass," Yang slugged her in the shoulder lightly. "Does feel good to do something familiar, though."_

" _True," Sera chuckled. "But if I'm being honest, I kinda wish those Ace Ops weren't going with us."_

 _Yang's expression soured. "Trust me, I feel the same."_

" _Is it cause of Harriet?" Sera asked, already knowing the answer._

" _Of course, it is," Yang crossed her arms. "She's been eyeing you since they ambushed us."_

" _Yeah, I don't like it," Sera shuddered. "I'll just have to tell her that I'm not interested."_

" _Don't worry," Yang grinned. "I'll handle it."_

" _What're you gonna do?" Sera raised an eyebrow._

 _She just smiled and sauntered off, winking at Sera._

" _Yang, what does that mean? Yang?" Sera called after her. "Well, fine, then," Sera murmured when Yang disappeared through the door. Taking one last look in the mirror, Sera examined the floral tattoo on her right arm. Rubbing a thumb over the violet petals, an idea popped into her head._

 _She grinned at her reflection, then her eyes settled on her snow-white hair._ Hmm, _she thought._

. . .

"All right, teams. Our mission is to secure the launch site of Amity Communications Tower. The area we're coming up on is an abandoned Dust mine. Since its closure, the Grimm have moved in and made it their home. Our job is to evict them," Clover, the team leader, said over the comm in their new scrolls. "Our science team says they need the Dust down there too, so we'll also have to collect that."

"Great, a mission with side quests," Sera said under her breath.

"A powerful Geist has taken residence in the mines, and all Atlas forces have failed to eliminate it, so you know what to do," Qrow said.

"Right," Ruby said.

"There's no telling where it might be, so we're gonna have to split up and corner the thing," Clover said as the airship door slid open. "We're coming up on the mine. I trust that you all practiced landing techniques in Beacon?" He asked rhetorically.

Everyone nodded in understanding, but Sera was lost. "Landing techniques?"

"Oh, right," Weiss said. "You weren't there for that."

"So?"

"So, let's hope you figure it out on the way down," Ruby grinned.

"What does that mean?" Sera asked, but everyone was already getting ready to jump.

"Let's go!" Ruby cheered as she jumped out of the airship, using her semblance to turn into a red blur.

Yang winked at Sera and put a new pair of sunglasses on her face before leaping out of the airship.

Weiss and Blake jumped out of the ship after them, each in their new outfits. Sera couldn't help but marvel at how they'd changed in appearance the past day. Weiss wore her hair in a long braid that was impossibly thick, and Blake had cut her hair rather short. Ruby even did her hair, too. Now, her dark, red-tipped hair was styled and spiked, revealing more of her face and cheeks.

Then, there was Sera. The amnesiac stepped to the side of the airship, looking down at her team landing on the snowy ground in their own unique manner.

Once the light had hit her face, the huntress grinned. Her new sleeveless coat whipped in the wind. An Omega symbol pendant on a silver chain blew with the wind. The same necklace she bought from Lavender back in Mistral. In fact, each of her teammates were now wearing the necklaces she'd bought for them. Sera was proud of that; she'd bought them in hopes that they'd like them, and they did.

Sera's now styled hair rustled in the cold wind as she watched Yang land on the snow. Coincidentally, it was similar to Ruby's. She'd used gel to spike her hair and move her bangs out of her eyes.

She grinned as she unsheathed Crimson Eclipse and looked down at the weapon—and her arm. Sera had had the violet floral tattoo on her right shoulder extended down to her wrist. It'd hurt like hell to be tattooed more, but her aura fixed her up in no time. On top of that, her sword was repainted. Rather than being black and red, Crimson Eclipse was a metallic purple with all of its edges painted silver. Therefore, the weapon needed a new name. In a moment of brilliant clarity, the name _Amethyst Ivory_ popped into her head.

Sera took a deep breath and leaped out of the airship.

Her first thought was: "AHHHHH!" But then she let her body move for her. She spread her arms and legs out to slow her descent. She swayed in the air. The snowy ground was coming up fast.

"You're doing great, Snowball!" Yang cupped her hands around her mouth.

Sera saw no options for landing. Ruby had used Crescent Rose's recoil to slow her descent and Weiss had used her semblance, but Sera had nothing she could use. Silver Linings's recoil wasn't powerful enough for that, and her semblance had no "stop movement" function, only stop time. And my team seemed to realize that too.

 _I can slow my descent, and my aura should be able to take the hit, but… I'm not too keen on slamming into the ground full force._

Too late. If she didn't move now, she'd hit the ground face first. At the last possible second, Sera straightened her body and slammed into the ground in a kneeling position, the force of the impact being absorbed by both her knees.

 _Ow…_ She mentally groaned, holding the position as she suffered in silence. Her aura activated and went to work relieving her pain.

"That was so cool!" Ruby complimented.

"Yep…" Sera rose to her full height, trying to look tough. "It's hell on the knees, though."

"Yeah, but you can take it, can't you Snowball?" Harriet asked with a playful smile.

Sera turned to her and crossed her arms. "Only she gets to call me that," she gestured to Yang with her head.

Harriet held her hands up, her smile never wavering. "Fine, no harm intended." Then the Ace Op turned and faced away from them.

"Nice," Yang said as she bumped her shoulder into Sera's.

"Yeah, well," she shrugged. "I don't know what she's thinking, but nothin' is gonna get in the way of this." Sera draped an arm around her shoulders.

"This is Alpha Squad; we're moving into the maze. You've all got fancy new scrolls now, so use them. Keep your eyes and ears open and report what you see," Clover said over their scrolls.

"Alright, you five," Harriet said. "Let's get a move on." She and her Faunus teammate, Marrow, were heading for the large and dark entrance to the mine.

"It's freezing here!" Ruby said as they got closer to the entrance.

"You're telling me," Sera hugged her body, trying to cover herself more with her sleeveless jacket. In hindsight, maybe that style of clothing wasn't the best idea. Sera rubbed her arms for warmth and tried to not shiver.

"Just project your aura. It should shield you against the cold," Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Easy for you to say," Ruby shivered. "You _thrive_ in the ice, Ice Queen."

Weiss rolled her eyes again and walked after the Ace Ops. Blake gave them a meaningful look before following her.

Sera saw Ruby close her eyes and take a deep breath, then she stopped shivering. She grinned, "Hey, it works!"

"Great, Rubes," Sera said, rubbing her arms. Ruby smiled and ran after Blake and Weiss, a happy skip in her step.

"Don't worry," Yang pulled Sera into a hug, sending warmth into the amnesiac's body. Yang was pretty good with fire, after all. "I heat for you."

"Yeah, you do," Sera grinned. Once she was nice and warm, they followed their team into the dark and spooky mine.

. . .

Not even ten minutes of walking, and they hit a dead end. A large tunnel had collapsed and blocked the entrance with about seven tons of rock.

"Fantastic," Weiss said.

"Bravo, checking in," Harriet said into her scroll. "We hit a bit of a snag. Not sure if it's recent or was caused by the accident. Either way, we have to figure a way around it."

"Got it. Let us know if you need anything," Clover responded.

Blake's expression turned sad as she looked across the mining equipment scattered around.

"Are you okay?" Sera asked as she walked to her side.

"Yeah, just… I realized where we are. This mine was shut down after a big explosion," she nodded.

"I remember this disaster," Weiss said. "Or rather, I remember how angry my father was because of it." She sighed. "I wish I could take back the wrongdoings my family has done to the Faunus, and all of my complacency in it."

"You're truly better than the rest, Weiss," Sera commented.

"Oh, shut it, you," she crossed her arms.

"Hey!" Marrow called from near filled in tunnel. "We found a gap in the wall that one of you could fit through!"

"Why can't Harriet go through?" Yang grumbled.

"Maybe they're testing us," Ruby ventured.

"Maybe," Blake said. "Come on, let's go see what they want."

Once they reached the cave in, Harriet and Marrow looked over to the huntress team.

"What do you need us to do?" Ruby asked.

"Just to check and make sure there's no Dust in the immediate area. If not, we should be good to set some charges and blow these rocks apart," Marrow explained.

"All right," Sera nodded. "I'll go."

Marrow and Harriet glance at each other. "Actually, we were thinking Blake should, since as a cat Faunus, she'd be able to see in the dark much better."

The amnesiac glanced over her shoulder at Blake, and the Faunus nodded her permission. Sera pulled a flashlight out of her pocket and twirled it in her fingers. "This should do fine, don't you think?"

"Fine," Harriet said, and Sera clicked the light on before squeezing between the small gap.

Sera swept the light across the dark cave as she inspected her surroundings. Instinctively drawing Silver Linings, she crossed her wrists and aimed the gun while simultaneously pointing the light.

"See anything?" Marrow asked through her scroll.

"Nothing besides some old minecarts and wreckage," she replied.

"Great, we should be clear to blow it. Head back, and we'll set the charges."

"Got it," Sera responded. But just as she turned around, something slammed into her from behind and sent her sprawling. "What the hell?!" She came up fast, fan-firing into whatever pushed her. A Geist hissed at her, evading the shots with relative ease.

"Sera, get back!" Yang's voice shouted over her scroll. Sera rolled to the side just as the wall behind her exploded in a mound of dust and fire. Standing on the other side was Yang, her arm extended from punching and her eyes blazing red.

The Geist tensed up and flew in the opposite direction as fast as it could. Sera jumped to her feet and quickly reloaded her revolver. By time she raised the weapon to fire again, the Geist was out of range.

"Don't let it get away!" Harriet commanded, chasing after the Grimm. Sera and the others took off running as well, but almost immediately, a long and spindly Grimm erupted from the ground. It was a large bug with a pair of large pincers and many legs on either side of its long body, and the mere sight of it sent a chill down Sera's spine.

Yang punched the Centipede Grimm down and the creature recoiled, green venom dripping from its foamy mouth. The Grimm let out a high-pitched screech, and a dozen more of its kind sprouted from the walls and floor of the cave.

"Oh, great!" Sera shouted as she holstered Silver Linings and swiftly unsheathed Amethyst Ivory. "You've woken the hive!"

"Complain later, fight now!" Yang shouted as she lunged forward and punched a Centipede several times in the head, planting small explosives onto the thing. When she jumped back and pumped her arms, the explosives detonated and effectively killed the Grimm. Before Sera could comment on how cool that was, another Grimm lunged at her.

She yelped as she swung her sword and cleaved the beast in two, each of its halves melting into shadow. _Gods, I hate these things,_ she thought as she shivered.

Weiss sliced several of the bugs apart with ease with Myrtenaster while Ruby did the same with Crescent Rose.

Sera rushed forward and stabbed one in its long body, then kicked the blade out of its body to impale another. A third Grimm attempted to clamp onto her side with its pincers, and Sera's entire body lit up with panic as the thing got near her. She jumped straight up and stomped the thing's head into the ground, then stabbed it in its bony carapace for good measure.

Her chest heaved as she pulled the blade out of its disintegrating body, and she forced herself to shake it off. _The hell's wrong with me? These are just Grimm._ Then she looked over at another Centipede's body as it fought Blake, and she gulped. _Bug Grimm with a hundred creepy legs and ginormous pincers…_

"Hey, get your head outta the clouds!" Harriet nudged her as she ran towards the Grimm, using some sort of exo-suit weapon that protruded from her shoulder blades and covered the entirety of her arms and fists. She punched one of the Centipedes and the thing flew into the wall, disintegrating on impact.

Sera shook her head to clear her mind and hefted Amethyst Ivory.

Two more Centipede Grimm swirled around each other as they lunged towards Marrow, but the wolf Faunus just smirked, snapped his fingers at them, then ordered, "Stay," and the Grimm halted in midair.

Harriet grinned as she halted in front of them, then grabbed the Grimm and slammed them into the ground.

"Isn't that like your semblance?" Ruby asked with an awe-filled voice.

"Definitely not," Sera replied. "I think his is _way_ different, Rubes."

"Still cool, though," she said.

Sera shrugged. "I like mine."

"I think Harriet's is like mine," Ruby admitted.

"Maybe," Sera said as she and Ruby watched Harriet rush forward, faster than anyone could believe. She punched a couple of the Grimm to pieces with her exo-suit weapon and stood triumphant.

Harriet brought a hand to her earpiece and spoke into it. "This is Bravo. We found the target, but it fled deeper into the mine. Engaging Centinels."

"Oh, so they're called Centinels," Sera thought aloud as she and the others ran after the Geist.

"What'd you think they were called?" Weiss asked.

"Centipedes. Cause, you know, they look like centipedes."

"You raise a good point," Weiss said.

"Enough chit-chat, just focus on catching the Geist," Harriet said.

"Yeah, yeah," Sera grumbled.

"Teams, we've engaged the target!" Clover said through their scrolls and earpieces. "Everyone, move to our position!" Then a few seconds later, he said again, "Target escaped. Last seen headed east."

"Good job, guys. Way to hustle out there," Sera sighed as she hefted Amethyst Ivory and sliced another Centinel to pieces. More of the Grimm were flooding into the cave, and RWBYS and the two Ace Ops took them down as quickly as they appeared as the seven of them made their way deeper into the mine.

Finally, they reached a large circular room in the mine big enough for that dragon Grimm that Sera fought with Neo to fit in it.

"Guys!" Ruby called out, pointing across the cavern to JNPR and the remaining pair of Ace Ops. They were on a higher level, and far enough away that Sera could hold her thumb up like an artist and completely obscure individual people from view.

"Everyone be careful," the bald guy, Vine, said. "There's a lot of Dust in this room. One wrong explosion could ruin the launch site."

" _And_ vaporize us. How is that always second with you?" Marrow exclaimed.

"Wasn't the Geist supposed to be here?" Sera asked, her eyes darting around the room. Nora asked a similar question to her team over the comm frequency. Insane minds think alike.

Of course, as soon as they asked, a cluster of large rocks on the ceiling started to shift. A Geist Grimm mask appeared in the center of the largest hunk of ice, then more ice and rocks connected to that one to form arms and legs.

"Oh. Naturally," Sera murmured.

The Geist fell to the ground, a huge cloud of dust billowing from the impact. When the dust cleared, and the Geist stood to its full height.

"It added Dust to its body?" Ruby asked.

"After a landing like that, I'd be surprised if it wasn't covered in dust," Sera said.

"Not that," Ruby rolled her eyes and pointed at the large mounds of purple Dust protruding from its body. "The Dust."

"Oh," said Sera, feeling like an idiot. "Well how are we supposed to—"

Harriet rushed past them via her speed semblance and towards the Grimm. Then the Vine and Elm leapt into action, using their similar semblances to try and restrain the Geist. Vine shot some sort of ethereal yellow arms from his, well, arms to wrap around various parts of the Grimm. Elm had a similar thing, with green ethereal vine-like appendages on her feet to anchor her while she wrapped her arms around the Geist's leg.

Once they got an arm restrained, Marrow threw his odd double-bladed chainsaw weapon to cut the appendage off. A large chunk of Dust fell from its body, and Marrow called for Harriet. The pink-eyed Ace Op sprinted for the Dust in a blur of tan and white uniform.

Marrow sliced off another piece of it, and someone caught the Dust before it could hit the ground.

"What would you do without me, your fearless leader?" Clover smirked.

"What are we standing around for?" Sera asked. Ever since the fight started, they'd been standing there watching.

"I think they might have it handled," Ruby said, her eyes never leaving the fight. The Ace Ops were leaping around the room to avoid its attacks, chipping in damage where they could.

Clover leaped directly in front of the Geist and swung his fishing pole, somehow managing to wrap the wire around its mask and snag it off its icy body. The Geist's black and shadowy body came out of the ice and rock, and Harriet was suddenly there to uppercut it into oblivion.

The remaining shards and chunks of Dust flew in separate directions, and they all leaped into action; catching the Dust before it could hit the ground. A particularly large piece of Dust shot far away, and Ruby disappeared from Sera's side. Just before Harriet could catch the Dust, Ruby got her hands on it and tumbled across the floor with the Dust in her hands.

Ruby laughed and accepted Harriet's hand when she offered it.

"Thought you said your semblance was like mine," the Ace Op said.

"It… Is?" Ruby said uncertainly.

"I've seen speed semblances before, and that was different. I think there's more to you than meets the eye," she replied before heading back to her team.

"Wait until she sees what she can do _with_ her eyes," Yang joked.

"Or mine," Sera crossed her arms. "And my skin, veins, and—"

"Alright, we get it," Weiss interrupted.

"Well, mission accomplished," Blake said.

"Guess so. Although, I wish we helped instead of just standing here," Yang said.

"Me too," Sera sheathed Amethyst Ivory and watched the Ace Ops. Qrow soon joined them in his new black outfit and ruffled Ruby's hair.

"Everything go smoothly for you five?" he asked.

"Bout as smoothly as a bunch of Centinel Grimm make it be," Sera grumbled.

"Sera's scared of the bugs," Weiss snickered.

"I am not!" she said indignantly. "I just don't like their legs. Or pincers. Or faces."

"You're not making it any better for yourself," Qrow chuckled.

"Oh, shut it, old man." Sera crossed her arms. "I didn't see you helping."

Qrow chuckled again and ruffled Sera's hair. The huntress shoved his hand away irritably.

"Stop, you're gonna mess up my do," Sera pushed her hair back into place with her fingers.

"All right, kiddos," Qrow beckoned. "Let's get outside. Ironwood's probably on his way right now." He and the Ace Ops headed for the exit, leaving RWBYS and JNPR behind.

"Let's go," Blake sighed, and they trailed after the adults.

"Hey," Yang said to Sera beside her. The two of them were walking at the back of the group, making sure no Grimm attacked from behind. "Did pretty good back there." She grinned.

"What did you expect, Blondie? Of course, I did," Sera smirked and spread her arms to show off.

Yang grinned again and hugged her. Yang's metal arm dug into her back, but she didn't complain.

"What's this for?" Sera chuckled and tried to survive Yang's lemon-scented hair from suffocating her. Yang pulled away with a pleasant smile and kept walking.

"Just felt like it. Something wrong with hugging you?" she asked.

"No, no," Sera rubbed a thumb over her tattoo-covered right arm. "I don't mind."

"Good," Yang grinned and took her hand. "Then let's get out of this old mine and get back to Atlas."

"Wow, Yang, you sure know how to show a girl a good time."

"What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic," she squeezed Sera's hand.

Sera chewed her lip in contemplation as they walked. "We haven't done anything together, have we? Like, just us."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "I don't think so, actually. The closest was that dinner with Ruby and the others back in Vale."

"Exactly," Sera frowned.

"So, what? You wanna go on a date or somethin'?" Yang smirked.

Sera turned her head to hide her face while crossing her arms. "Maybe."

"Okay," Yang said, and Sera turned to see her smiling. "We'll go out, just you and me. Let's see what Atlas is made of."

Sera smiled without meaning to. "All right, Blondie. Let's go out on the town."

"You got it," Yang put an arm around her shoulders.

. . .

In no time at all, they made it outside and onto the snowy ground. The harsh sun blinded Sera after being in the dark of the mine for so long, but Yang handed over her old pair of aviator sunglasses for her to wear. Sera accepted them gratefully and put them on, and the glasses helped immediately to block the sun.

Ruby was talking with Harriet and a few other Ace Ops ahead, and a couple Atlesian airships were touching down. Further ahead, James Ironwood stood with his back turned to them all, looking like he was talking into his scroll or something. Qrow nodded at Sera, then went on with Clover to talk to the general.

"Weren't these your old sunglasses?" Sera asked, fingering the glasses on her face.

"Yep, but I've got some new ones now," Yang said as she put on her new orange sunglasses.

"So, what, you just kept your old ones on you?"

Yang grinned. "Just in case someone needed to borrow 'em."

"And by 'someone,' you mean 'you,'" Sera smirked at her.

"Maybe."

Ruby appeared in front of them with an excited look in her eyes. "So, what do you guys wanna do first when we get back to Atlas? Sightsee? Explore the city?"

"Sleep," Blake yawned.

"Aw, come on! This is a great time to go exploring! We haven't done that in so long," she whined.

"You, Sera, and JNPR literally walked all over an entire continent to get to Mistral," Weiss said.

"And oh boy, it sucked," Sera agreed.

"Well, yeah. But it was only the boring parts," Ruby's shoulders slumped.

"We can do that later, okay Rubes?" Sera put a hand on her shoulder. "Let everyone recuperate first. It's been a long trip."

"Yeah, you're right," Ruby sagged. "I just want to keep the team together."

"Hey, we'll always be together. Right?"

Ruby looked up with a light smile on her face. "Right."

"Hey," Qrow said. "Head's up." He gestured to Ironwood and Clover.

"Can I get the team leaders over here? There's something I'd like to discuss with you. You too, Sera and Qrow."

Sera raised an eyebrow. "What's he want me for?"

"Dunno," Qrow shrugged. "Probably to do with mommy dearest."

"Please never say that again."

She, Qrow, Ruby, and Jaune approached the general.

"…Just be subtle. If people see too many huntsmen around, they'll get nervous," Ironwood told Clover.

"Yes, sir." Clover saluted, then headed for the airship his team was next to.

"Problems in Mantle?" Qrow asked.

"More of the same, unfortunately," James exhaled. "Someone in Mantle is taking out public figures to speak out against Atlas." He held out his scroll, and a hologram of the guy that Sera and the others rode with to Atlas Academy appeared above the device. "Specifically, people speaking out against me. It didn't look like a pattern at first, but this is the third murder of its kind in the last week."

"That's the guy that rode with as after we were arrested," Jaune said.

"That's what I was thinking," Sera murmured.

"He died?" Ruby asked.

"Your opposition in Mantle dropping dead isn't exactly a good look for you, huh?" Qrow asked.

"This isn't really about my public image, but it is causing unrest," James said, and he made the hologram disappear. "I think someone's trying to frame me, and by extension, Atlas. And that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Uh, what?" Ruby asked.

"With the launch of this tower," he looked up to the giant floating rock that was Amity Arena. "And tensions down in Mantle, I think there's a lot of good your teams can do here." Then the general put a finger to his earpiece, and his tone became more urgent. "What? Here? Now? No, let him land. I'll deal with him myself."

"Well, _that_ sounds ominous," Sera whispered to Ruby.

"More Mantle problems?" Qrow asked.

"No. This one's an Atlas problem," the general watched an expensive-looking airship fly closer to the mine. "Come on, we better form the welcome party before he pitches an even bigger fit than he's going to."

Sera and Ruby glanced at each other uncertainly.

. . .

Team RWBYS, Qrow, and Ironwood stood side by side as the airship landed. When Sera saw the logo on the door, she cringed and glanced at Weiss. It read _S.D.C._ AKA, Schnee Dust Company.

"Great," she muttered and stood closer to the ex-heiress. Weiss looked at her questioningly but said nothing. From what Sera had been told, the big man of the biggest Dust company in the world was actually a giant whiny child when it came to, well, everything.

The doors hissed open, and a raspy voice followed by a tall man dressed in white soon followed. He wore a fancy white suit, and like Weiss, his hair and mustache were completely white.

"Let me get this straight, Ironwood. In addition to this nonsensical embargo of yours crippling my business, you've also decided you have the authority to commandeer private property?" He demanded, storming up to the general. The Schnee man had to look up to meet Ironwood's eyes, and Sera stifled a laugh. "When the Council hears about this, you will never—"

"Actually, I've already informed them," Ironwood said calmly. "And this is now the sight of a classified military operation. It didn't even require a vote."

"Didn't require a vote?!" Weiss's dad demanded.

"You might want to brush up on council law before you lose this upcoming election, Jacques," Ironwood said. "Now, I've allowed to land here once, as a courtesy. The next time won't be a friendly reception."

"Lately, you seem to forget who your friends really are," Jacques seethed. "I'm going to get that council seat, James, and maybe then you'll—" the white-haired man's eyes settled on Weiss. Sera and Blake stepped closer to her, with Ruby on Sera's other side. "You've found my missing daughter," Jacques said. "And you've roped her into these schemes of yours, too?! How long has she been back in Atlas? Does Winter know?"

"She's done this out of her own volition—" Sera started, but Weiss stepped forward. Blake put a hand on the amnesiac's shoulder, and Sera saw the look in her eyes. Sera understood immediately; this was Weiss's battle.

"It was my decision to come here," Weiss told her father. "Just like it was my decision to leave. Or have you forgotten all about that?"

"If you think I'm one to forget anything, girl, then you've seriously misjudged the man your father is," Jacques turned to her.

"Believe me," Weiss said. "I know _exactly_ what kind of man you are."

"How dare you speak to me that way?" he demanded. "I have half a mind to—"

"Half a mind to what?" James asked.

Jacques took a moment to compose himself. "You know, your mother was devastated when you left. Didn't leave her room for days. You know how she gets when she's upset." Weiss looked down sadly, but Jacques only smirked and fixed his collar. When he turned back to Ironwood, he clasped his hands behind his back. "I knew one day you would overextend your reach. I didn't come here to beg for an abandoned mine. I came here to thank you. For personally handing me the noose to hang you with."

"What?" Sera thought aloud, and Jacques seemed to acknowledge his daughter's team's existence for the first time.

"So, these are the little friends you threw everything away for?" he asked Weiss. Sera reached down and took Weiss's hand, gaining a surprised look from the ex-heiress. Apparently, Blake had done the same thing just seconds before, so both of them clasped each of Weiss's hands.

"Not friends," Weiss shook her head. "Family."

"Hmm…" Jacques's face hardened, and he turned and walked away stiffly. He walked up the ramp of his airship, and soon he was gone. The airship raised into the sky, then flew away.

Weiss exhaled the breath she was holding, and Ruby patted her on the back. Almost immediately, a military truck came to a stop where the airship was. The back opened, and Winter Schnee stepped out.

"Oh, _now_ you show up, Winter. You just missed father," Weiss said with a hint of enthusiasm.

Winter clasped her hands behind her back in the same way Ironwood does and walked up to her sister. "I wouldn't exactly say I missed hi—"

Then something, or rather some _one_ landed between them. After getting over her surprise, Sera realized it was Penny.

"Surprise!" the android announced. When Penny seemed to notice the tension in the air, she asked, "Uh, did we not start yet?"

"Apparently, we haven't," Winter said.

"Start what?" Ruby asked.

"We'll discuss it up there," Ironwood nodded to Amity Arena.

"What for?" Sera asked. The general only smiled lightly, then turned and headed for an airship. "Thanks for the answer," Sera mumbled.

"Let's just go," Ruby said. "We'll get our answers up there."

"Fine," Sera said.

Then the two huntsmen teams loaded onto airships and flew up to Amity. Once they unloaded, Qrow, Ironwood, Winter, Penny, and both teams stood in the center of the arena and waited for Ironwood to speak.

Sera took the time to look over at JNPR. She hadn't really noticed since she'd seen so little of her, but Pyrrha had changed with the rest of them. She wore more armor than before that covered her shoulders and upper arms, with a pair of golden bracers on her wrists. Instead of wearing a skirt with bare thighs, she wore a pair of well-fitting black leggings.

After the Fall of Beacon and during their trip to Mistral, Pyrrha had worn her hair down rather than the ponytail she had during their time at Beacon. Now, the ponytail was back, but instead of her old ornate headpiece, she wore a golden laurel wreath on her head. It open-ended in the front, so it didn't completely wrap around her red hair. A red sash was tied around her waist and whipped in the wind.

Finally, he cleared his throat and opened his mouth. "It goes without saying that this arena holds significance to all of us. It's only fitting that we reconvene here. Now, when the world needs to be brought together more than ever, the road you traveled from our first meeting hasn't been easy. You fought for your school and your friends back at Beacon. You fought for the world and the innocent at Haven Academy and beyond. You faced down terrors people couldn't even fathom…" Ironwood went on. Sera couldn't help but zone out.

She's seen three out of the four huntsman academies: Beacon, Haven, and now Atlas. But she hasn't heard anything about Shade, the school she's _from._ Back in Vale, she met Magnus, one of her old teammates, and some people from Shade recognized her, but other than that, she knew nothing about the academy. Most of her memories were still lost, like puzzle pieces that just weren't there. She's considered asking about visiting Vacuo, but there were way more pressing matters to attend to than regaining her memories. Number one priority right now was stopping her mother. The rest could wait until later. Besides… Her team now was much more important to her than lost memories. Hell, she'd forgotten about trying to get her memories back weeks ago. Why focus on the past when there was so much happening right now?

"Sera?" Ironwood asked. She snapped back to reality and shook her head to clear her mind.

"Sorry, I was a million miles away. What was it?"

James cleared his throat. "Well… Check your scroll."

Sera took her scroll out and inspected the screen. It was already lit, with her student license pulled up. "So? I don't…" Then she saw it. The _"Student License"_ at the top had been changed to _"Huntress License."_

"What?!" Sera exclaimed. According to the screen, her academy of occupation was now Atlas, and she had a Class B license.

Yang smirked. "We've been given our licenses because of everything we've been through since Beacon."

"I need more huntsmen and huntresses I can trust," Ironwood explained. "With tensions rising in Atlas and everything that's going on, I should be so lucky to have you all on my side. Now, Sera, you're the only one who's been granted a B-license while everyone else are only C-license huntsmen."

"Why—why would you do that? Huntresses like Pyrrha and Ruby deserve it more than me," Sera said, looking across her friends.

"Oh, but not me?" Yang joked.

Ironwood chuckled and tapped on his scroll. "I've seen fit to give you a higher level after what _you_ specifically have gone through. Qrow filled me in about being held captive in Salem's castle. And after reviewing your history at Shade, well, you're very well on par with Miss Nikos, Sera."

"I dunno, she kind of kicked my tail in the tournament," Sera shrugged. Pyrrha opened her mouth to retort, but Sera held her hand up, and Pyrrha clamped her mouth shut.

"I know, I saw," Ironwood tapped his scroll, and footage from the festival appeared in a hologram. It showed Sera in her old leather coat going toe to toe with Pyrrha, each of them trading blows. Sera had a wild and determined look in her violet eyes, and present Sera could hardly believe that the girl in the video was her. She looked younger, more carefree and innocent. "You held your own," James said. "And you've only grown in strength since then. You fought _two_ Maidens at once, and you're here to talk it today."

"That was a fluke," Sera said, but she knew it was only a half truth. She'd faced Cinder and Raven at once, but she only barely survived. Even then, she'd had to rely on a power that technically wasn't her own to fight them.

"Maybe," Ironwood said, but he pulled up another piece of footage. It was her fighting a giant humanoid Grimm with the head of a bull. Her eyes widened, realizing it was when she'd fought the Minotaur. She didn't remember the fight; it was from before she lost her memories. And how Ironwood had found footage of it, she didn't know.

But there she was, wearing her old red tank top and jumping around delivering blows to the Grimm. Sera glanced over at her friends. Their eyes were glued to the screen with wide eyes.

"And this," James pulled up another video. She was single-handedly fighting a swarm of Beowolves and Creeps in the middle of a desert, her old sword in her hands. "And this," he pulled up a clip of her fighting the Hydra Grimm with Qrow. The camera angle seemed to be from some sort of camera on the huntsman, because it looked like a first-person video game from Qrow's perspective. "Quite an impressive record. Do you still lack your memories from before Beacon?"

Sera nodded. "Except for some dreams I've had about my old team."

"Well, you were a star pupil in Shade. How we hadn't realized who you were sooner, I don't know. Your team was among the top three most successful during your 'reign.'"

Sera rubbed the back of her neck uncomfortably. She didn't know how to handle all this information. She was getting a higher level of license because she'd supposedly been so successful? As far as she was concerned, it was all sheer luck that she was here today.

"General, I don't deserve that class of licensing. Let Ruby or one of the others have it; I don't deserve it."

"Sure you do," he persisted. "Besides, Qrow was the one to request it."

Sera glanced at the huntsman, but he only shrugged. "What can I say, Snowball? You might need that clearance."

"It's already done, and I can't demote someone's license without good reason," Ironwood told her. Sera looked to her team for help, but they only shrugged.

"Maybe he's right," Yang said. "After everything I've see, everything you've told me you've gone through and done, you deserve it, Snowball."

 _I really don't,_ Sera wanted to say. But there was no use in arguing. Like Ironwood said, he couldn't just demote someone's license. Well, he could, but it'd be frowned upon.

"Fine," Sera sighed. "But I _really_ don't think it's deserved."

"Oh, shut up and be a B-list huntress," Weiss rolled her eyes.

"You're still C-list, Ice Queen."

"Hmph." Weiss crossed her fingers, and Sera smiled.

"Okay," Sera dipped her head to Ironwood. "I'm honored to receive this."

Ironwood nodded respectfully, then said to all of them, "I know this is a lot to take in. But what better way to celebrate than here? We'll tell the world about Salem, and face whatever comes after us after that, together."

Sera gave a two-fingered salute, a smirk on her face. She and her friends were official huntsmen and huntresses, with all the good and bad that came with it.

"Okay," Ironwood said. "That's all the pomp I have in me for today. If you'll excuse me, I have to get back to running this operation. Enjoy the cake," he turned and walked away, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Wow," Yang said. "After everything we've been through, I forgot this is what I wanted in the first place.

"When Beacon fell, I thought getting this would be impossible," Blake said.

"It almost feels trivial now," Weiss chuckled.

"Jeez, lighten up a little," Qrow said. "Enjoy yourselves for a change. You've earned it."

"Finally!" Nora sighed. "Let's kill some cake, huh? Because I can eat two slices before Ren even eats one!"

Off to the side of the arena, a large table with a giant cake and drinks was being set up for them. Sera wandered towards it, her scroll in her hand. She gazed at the picture of herself with wonder. The tiny image showed her with a confident smile, her violet eyes full of life. The picture was at least a few years old, maybe from her first days at Shade. When she clicked the screen off, her reflection stared back at her, and she looked noticeably different. Her eyes were less life-like, and her mouth was set in a slight frown. _Wow… Didn't think I'd changed that much._

Then something bumped into her, and she turned to see that it was Yang, a light smile on her face.

"Hey," she said. They were halfway to the table, and Nora had already sprinted to it and was already tearing the cake apart.

"Hey," Sera felt a smile spread on her lips.

"Level-B, huh?" she asked.

"I don't deserve it," Sera insisted.

"Hey," Yang put a hand on her cheek. "Stop that. I think you deserve it more than all of us."

Sera raised her eyebrows. " _All_ of you?"

"Well, maybe not _me,_ but most of us," Yang grinned.

"That's what I thought, Blondie," Sera smiled, pocketing her scroll.

"Oh, shut up," Yang wrapped her arms around her and pulled her into a kiss. Sera smiled into it and held onto Yang tightly, pouring all of her sorrow from everything she's been through into it. When they separated, Yang smiled and pulled her to the table. "Come on, let's get some cake before Nora eats it all."

"Yes, ma'am," Sera smiled wide and let Yang haul her to their friends.

They all laughed and ate cake, just enjoying the moment while they could. It's been since Beacon that they were all together like this, aside from that one night in Mistral. But _this—_ this was truly a throwback to Beacon.

They joked and laughed and talked with each other. Ruby and Qrow sat in the bleachers, but that was okay. They were having their own conversation. At a certain point, a large hologram board appeared, and an entire list of missions appeared for them to peruse through.

"Hey, Ruby!" Weiss called. "You should look at this!"

Ruby gasped. "A mission board? It's an _app_ now?" Then she rushed to take a look at it, excitement on her face. "Can we ride a Megoliath? Stop an underground crime ring? Do I get to go _undercover?"_ She shook Penny up and down rapidly in her excitement.

"Maaaaaybeeee?' Penny said while Ruby shook her.

"Hey, you guys smell that?" someone said. Sera turned to see that it was Marrow, with Vine and Elm at his sides. "Smells like fresh meat to me."

"That's odd, I don't smell meat," Vine said.

"Neither do I," Ren shook his head.

"Great, there's two of them now," Sera groaned. Pyrrha and Yang laughed.

"Let me get this straight," Elm said. "You've only been official for an hour now, and you're already looking for huntsmen work?"

"To be fair, we've been official huntsmen for a whole…" Weiss looked at her scroll. "Fifty-seven minutes."

"I'd like to remind you all that the real mission here is ensuring the successful launch of the communications tower," Vine pointed out.

"True, but we can also keep training and improving by helping where we can," Ren said.

"Ah," Elm sighed. "The enthusiasm of youths!"

"Well, it's hard to argue with that," Marrow shrugged. "Okay, let me show you how it works." He scrolled through the list. "Ooh, here's an important one. Who wants to volunteer?"

Sera and everyone else's hands shot up immediately.

"Great," Marrow said. "We need someone to escort children to pre-primary school in Mantle. There's no danger, but the parents fret and that attracts Grimm."

Everyone's hands except for Jaune's and Pyrrha's lowered.

"Perfect, thanks!" Marrow said. "Juan? Jim? John?"

"It's Jaune," Pyrrha crossed her arms.

"Right, right," Marrow said. "Jaune and Pyra—"

"Pyrrha."

"Jaune and Pyrrha will do that one."

"Wow, my first huntsman mission," Jaune said with a hint of excitement.

Then Elm shoved the boring Marrow away and grinned wildly at them. "Next, a massive Sabyr is loose in the Mantle sewers."

"That sounds neat," Sera commented.

"I know!" Elm said enthusiastically. "We need two brave warriors to flush it out and kill it."

Everyone's hands shot up again.

"What? Why didn't we get that choice?" Jaune asked.

"Guess you weren't meant for it, Jaune," Sera grinned, earning a laugh from her friends while Jaune looked like a sad puppy.

Sera sipped juice from the cup in her hand and looked at each of her friends. _They're more important than some lost memories. Protecting them—_ that's _the real mission._

 _ **I hope these new chapters going with Volume 7 are doing well for everyone. I'm trying to make Pyrrha a part of the story, but JNPR just isn't doing all that much this season.**_


	20. B-License Huntress

Sera's dreams were especially vivid that night. She was standing alone on a large beach. The shattered moon was giant in the sky, covering the land with its light.

Sera's bare feet was cool under the white sand and the waves of the black ocean gently lapped against the beach. She looked out across the sea; her violet eyes dark in the moonlight.

"Well? What's the plan here?" a voice asked. Sera turned to see a girl with long aquamarine hair and blue eyes the color of the ocean on its best day. The funny thing was that she recognized her. This was Cerulean, a member of her team from Shade Academy and former significant other.

"What plan?" Sera asked.

Cerulean rolled her eyes. "The plan to take down your _mother,_ duh. What the hell are you going to do? Whine at her to death?"

"What's your problem?" Sera's eyes narrowed.

Her face hardened. "My _problem_ is that you ran off and left us all. Your _real_ team. Then you went and latched onto that blonde girl, completely forgetting about me." She poked Sera in the chest.

"It's not my fault that Salem took my memories! I didn't even know about my old team until months after!" Sera defended herself.

"But that didn't stop you, did it? You could've _tried_ to remember, to search for your old life. But you just sat back and waited for Ozpin to do it; the man you can't even fully trust because he's _infamous_ for holding secrets. And you know he didn't tell you about him finding your old life right away, don't you? He waited until _he_ thought the moment was right."

"Oh, shut up," Sera said. "I don't even care anymore. Who cares if I don't get my memories back? There's more important things at stake."

"If you say so," Cerulean shrugged. "Who says that General Ironwood isn't holding secrets from you, too? You just can't trust any of these headmasters."

"So?" Sera crossed her arms. "I'm not doing this for Ironwood, or even Ozpin."

"Right," Cerulean smirked. "You're doing it for your _new_ team, right? They're what's most important now."

"That's right," Sera met her eyes. "Because I'm not going to let what happened to you happen to them. Not again."

Cerulean's eyes widened in surprise, then her smug demeanor returned. "Well, maybe you're not as awful as I thought you'd become."

"How can you think I've become awful? You're dead," Sera countered.

She chuckled. "Maybe. But they say a piece of everyone close to you stays with you, even after they pass, right?"

"I don't know," Sera admitted.

"Well, maybe you'll figure it out one day." Cerulean smiled, then her form disappeared into sea mist.

Sera took a deep breath, unsure of what to make of what she'd just witnessed.

"Wow," she looked across the ocean again. "I might have issues."

"I'll say," another voice said.

Sera groaned. "Who's here to bother me now?" Then her back stiffened and blood ran cold when she saw who was behind her.

Salem's cold smile sent chills down her spine as Sera stepped away from her. Her vision started to turn red, but when she looked, it was just red light sweeping across the beach. Sera looked over her shoulder to see why, and the shattered moon was transitioning from white to red.

The huntress turned back to her mother, but Salem was directly in front of her. Her glowing red eyes burned into Sera's corneas, and the amnesiac woke up instantly.

She sat bolt upright in bed and scanned the room with wild eyes, her heart beating hard in her chest.

"What's wrong?" Yang asked tiredly. Her golden hair was a rat's nest and her eyes were half-lidded. Once Sera realized where she was, she sighed heavily and put a hand on Yang's head. It was the night after the little party in Amity Arena. Afterwards, team RWBYS had retreated to their room and promptly passed out.

Sera and Yang bunked together on the top bunk opposite of Ruby since there were only four beds.

"Nothing. Just a dream, Yang." Sera smiled lightly and brushed hair out of her eyes.

"Oh, all right," she yawned and put her head down on Sera's shoulder.

Sera chuckled and checked her scroll. It was three in the morning. According to Ironwood, they'd have to be up early to start their huntsmen missions. After a moment's contemplation, she gently untangled herself from Yang and quietly dropped down to the floor. Yang mumbled in her sleep and adjusted the way she was laying, hugging her pillow gently.

Sera smiled and brushed her bangs out of her eyes before kissing her gently. Yang smiled and relaxed in her sleep. The amnesiac smiled again, then silently headed for the shower. After cleansing herself and getting dressed in a clean outfit identical to what she wore the previous day, she opened the door.

"Where're you going?" Blake asked. Sera turned to see the Faunus sitting upright in her bed, a curious glint in her amber eyes.

"Just taking a walk. Woke up early, figured I might as well get ready for the day."

Blake nodded. "All right. Not bringing Yang with you?" She smirked.

Sera glanced at the sleeping brawler and shook her head. "I'm gonna let her sleep. She probably needs it."

Nodding again, Blake relaxed into her bed. "See you in the morning, then."

"See you, Blake," Sera exited the room, then she was alone in the hallway. She didn't know the layout of Atlas Academy too well, but it didn't seem that different from Beacon. Besides, this was a good time as any to explore.

After some wandering around, Sera found a giant training room. The walls, floor, and ceiling were made of large white tiles. She mentally bookmarked this location and continued on her way.

The hallways were brightly lit despite it being in the middle of the night, but fortunately there were no people around.

Sera soon located the cafeteria, a vast library, and rows upon rows of classrooms. After some contemplation, she headed back to Atlas's locker room and retrieved her equipment. She quickly found the training room again and inspected some controls.

"Hmm…" she looked across the sea of different colored buttons. "What does this one do?" She clicked a large green button, and several walls rose out of the floor, forming a sort of open-roofed room with four entrances in the center of each wall. "Okay," Sera blinked. "What about this one?" she clicked another button, and a legion of Atlesian Knights rose from the floor through a large hole, raising up to Sera's level via a lift.

"Huh," Sera gazed at the robots. "Interesting. Maybe…" She clicked a few more buttons. The walls in the center lowered and others replaced it, forming low walls for cover scattered about the room. A grin spread across the huntress's face. "Perfect."

After another few button presses, the Knights went on the attack. Some had basic rifles while the others wielded shock batons. Sera barely had time to duck under the control board before a volley of Dust rounds hit the wall directly behind her.

She couldn't help but grin as she ducked behind one of the low walls and drew Silver Linings. _I've missed training sessions,_ she thought as she popped up from behind cover and blew several of the bots' heads off. They turned in Sera's direction and lit up her cover just as she ducked down to reload.

The huntress holstered her firearm and unsheathed Amethyst Ivory. She waited for the bots to get closer with their shock batons while the others peppered the ground near her and wall she hid behind. Once the first one got within range, she leaped out of cover and yanked the baton out of the Knight's hands before slicing it apart at the waist.

She slammed the borrowed baton into another's head and decapitated the Knight. Several more tried to swing their own batons at her, but she ducked and cut their legs out from under them. Before she could admire her handiwork, a volley of Dust projectiles slammed into her back. Thanks to her aura, the bullets only felt like dull thuds.

Sera rolled to the side behind a low wall, then to another, working her way towards the Knights.

Once she got there, there was little they could do. She leaped out of cover and went to work, slicing them to pieces before they could even react to where she'd landed. Once the Knights were in a neat pile of scrap metal, she sheathed her sword smoothly.

"Nicely done," a voice said from behind her. Sera whirled around to see none other than Winter Schnee approaching her with her hands clasped behind her back.

Sera hurriedly sheathed her sword and stood at attention in an attempt to look respectful. "Am I in trouble?"

Winter repressed a smirk. "Normally, you would be. But no, you're not in trouble this time."

Sera's shoulders relaxed. "Oh. Good." Then Winter turned on her heel and walked towards the exit.

"Come on, it's time for your first meeting as an official huntress," she called over her shoulder.

"Already?" Sera checked the time on her scroll. Sure enough, it was six in the morning. She'd burned three hours by just wandering the academy's halls and fighting Knights.

Sera jogged to catch up to Winter, who looked over to her with a hint of disdain. "So," Sera interlaced her fingers behind her head. "You still hate me?"

"I never hated you," Winter replied. "I just thought that you were overly cocky and unfit for being on my sister's team. Also, you lack manners that every young lady should have if they wish to be successful and respected."

"Yep, you still hate me," Sera said.

"Nonsense," Winter halted in front of a door to their right. The door hissed open to reveal a dark room with a large holo-board at the front. Clover was standing by the board while the Ace Ops, JNPR and the rest of Sera's team sat in chairs facing the front. Without a word, Sera took the seat beside Yang at the end of the row.

"Sera, glad you could join us," Clover said, an amused light in his eyes.

"Sorry, I was slicing a bunch of Knights to pieces," Sera smirked.

Clover's eyebrows raised. "The training room, then? Good, that's where JNPR is going later today. All right," he turned his eyes to the others. "as you know, our top mission is getting the Amity Communications Tower up and running. That means protecting supply runs from Grimm and bandits and protecting the site itself. Diverting all supplies from Mantle means that there are going to be gaps, and we have to be there to help stop Grimm from getting in through those gaps. But there's still plenty to do in Mantle itself." Then Clover smirked at the younger huntsmen teams. "I think you'll find that people appreciate having a huntsman or huntress around. But you are, of course, free to enjoy your time off however you see fit. Whatever you need to take the edge off."

Sera grinned and elbowed Yang, likely sending off the wrong message to the others. She'd _meant_ that they'd be able to go out into Atlas like they'd talked about.

Clover blinked a few times, then continued. "But make no mistake. School's _over._ Now, you get to choose what type of huntsman or huntress you are." The Ace Op leader turned to the board. "So, what's it gonna be?"

RWBYS and JNPR glanced at each other with excitement. There were so many possibilities for what they could do.

"Ooooh!" Ruby squealed. "This is our chance to really prove ourselves!"

"You've already done that, Ruby," Clover chuckled. "None of you have anything to prove, trust me."

"Aw," Ruby said. "Stop, you're just saying that." She toyed with the hem of her new cloak.

"And I've already chosen your missions for the day. Jaune and Pyrrha will supervise the children of Mantle on their way to pre-primary school. Nora and Ren will patrol the perimeter of Mantle and shore up our defenses. Ruby and Weiss will patrol the city itself for any Grimm who got through Mantle's wall." Clover looked at each of them respectively as he spoke.

Sera was excited. She wanted to get out and complete official huntress missions alongside Yang, since their teams were being split up. This was her chance to spend some real time with the brawler since they were "together." And she could tell Yang was thinking the same. The blonde put a hand on Sera's knee and grinned at her, excitement in her eyes.

"Blake and Yang, I want you to join Marrow and clear out Amity's launch zone. More Grimm have gathered there, along with the Grimm that remained after our mission there."

Yang's hand loosened on Sera's thigh, and the amnesiac felt her heart drop. "Oh," the blonde said, trying not to sound disappointed. "You got it, Blake and I are on it."

"Clover," Blake stood. "I insist that Sera come along too, or that she takes my place. Don't get the wrong idea, I don't mind going with Yang, but I'd prefer if Sera was with Yang. Everyone here can tell that they want that, too."

"I know," Clover said. "But Sera is a B-licensed huntress, according to Ironwood and this image of her license," he pulled Sera's license up on the holo-board. "Therefore, she will undertake a more urgent mission than the rest of you. The General says she's up to the task, and that's good enough for me."

Sera shifted uncomfortably in her seat. _'More urgent' translates to 'more dangerous,'_ she thought to herself. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Harriet will brief you on the way," Clover responded, and Sera felt Yang's grip on her knee tighten.

"I'm going with Harriet?" Sera asked, glancing at the Ace Op in question.

"And Elm. You'll be accompanying both of them for this assignment."

Sera could feel her team's and JNPR's gaze on her. She shook it off and nodded at Clover. "Well, if I have a reputation to uphold, then let's get to it, shall we?"

"Good! That's what I like to hear," Clover nodded. "All of you are to begin your assignments after breakfast. Dismissed."

They filed out of the room and walked towards the cafeteria. Yang bumped her shoulder against Sera's and looked at her with slight worry.

"Day's starting off well, huh?" Yang joked.

"Definitely not going how I was hoping it would," Sera admitted.

"It'll be okay. I hope."

Then they turned a corner and entered the cafeteria. Sera and the others grabbed trays and piled bacon, eggs, and pancakes onto them. RWBYS sat at a line of tables with JNPR beside them, just like back at Beacon. The Ace Ops sat a few tables away, talking amongst themselves. After a moment of indecision, Qrow sat next to Ruby.

"So," Ruby said, trying to sound upbeat. "First day as official huntsmen."

"Can't wait!" Nora cheered as she shoveled pancakes into her mouth.

"I wonder what assignment they're sending Sera on," Pyrrha commented.

"I don't know," the amnesiac said honestly. "But I don't think it'll be fun."

"Look on the bright side," Weiss said, picking at her eggs. "You'll get to show off."

Sera's face brightened. "Weiss, sometimes you truly say the most uplifting things."

"I try," the ex-heiress turned over a piece of bacon with her fork.

"But we have to do some pretty boring jobs," Yang said, devoid of enthusiasm.

Sera put her hand on Yang's under the table and leaned over to her. "I know it put a wrinkle in our plans," she whispered. "But we can visit Atlas later tonight, if you want."

Yang squeezed her hand tightly. "I'd like that."

"Good." Sera popped a slice of bacon into her mouth and chewed.

Yang shook her head, a light smile on her lips. "You're insufferable."

"Love you too," Sera grinned. Their team's eyes widened at the comment. Sera kept munching on her bacon, unaware of her team's and Qrow's looks. Yang was just grinning, trying not to laugh. Once Sera finally noticed that everyone had gone quiet and was looking at her. "What?"

"Isn't that a little, I dunno, early?" Qrow asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"You said you loved her," Weiss said.

"So? I've been telling her that since Beacon when we call each other names," Sera shrugged.

"Oh," Blake said.

"Yeah, what else would I mean in this context?" Sera grinned, squeezing Yang's hand under the table. The brawler interlaced their fingers and gave Sera a quick smile.

Then the two teams and Qrow ate in silence. Sera and Yang held hands under the table the whole time, just enjoying the feeling. After they were all finished, each team of two went in their own direction to carry out their mission for the day. Coincidentally, Yang, Blake, Sera, and the Ace Ops had to go to the airships.

Marrow and Blake boarded one while Elm and Harriet got on the other. Only Sera and Yang remained outside of the airships, facing each other.

Sera smirked, an idea that'll likely get her killed popping into her head. "Well, see you later." She turned to board her airship.

The exact thing that Sera expected to happen, happened. Yang clamped her hand onto the amnesiac's shoulder with an iron grip.

" _What,"_ Yang said with a steely tone. "did I tell you about doing that again?"

Sera shrugged as best as she could with Yang's vice grip on her shoulder. "That I shouldn't?"

Yang spun her around and wrapped her arms around the girl, hugging Sera so tightly that she could feel her ribs start to crack from the pressure.

Sera made a choking sound as Yang lifted her into the air, her legs swinging as she tried to regain her footing. When Sera looked down, she saw that Yang's eyes were burning red.

"Learned your lesson?" Yang asked, squeezing her harder.

The huntress responded with a strangled choking noise.

"I'll take that as a yes~" Yang set her down. Sera coughed and put a hand on her chest to get air. Then Yang pulled her head up and pressed her lips to Sera's. Still trying to recover from nearly being killed, Sera fought and tried to get away, but Yang held her tight and prevented her escape.

The blonde held her long enough for Blake and the Ace Ops to get uncomfortable. Finally, Yang released her once Sera had begun to go limp in her arms.

"Holy Dust!" Sera gasped. "What are you trying to do, kill me, woman?!"

"Oh, shut up, you baby," Yang winked at her before turning and boarding the airship with Blake. Sera just stood there, her hands on her knees as she tried to get air into her lungs. Yang and Blake's airship lifted into the air before shooting across the sky.

"Holy Brothers," Sera panted. "That girl is going to be the death of me."

"I'll say!" Elm appeared at her side and pounded her on the back, knocking the huntress onto the ground face-first. "That girl's a feisty one!"

Sera coughed and picked herself off the floor, dusting off her coat and pants. "Well," Sera cleared her throat and looked up at the much taller woman. "Let's go, shall we?"

"Never thought you'd ask," Harriet smirked. "Come on, we've got a long flight ahead of us."

"I brought in-flight peanuts!" Elm announced. Sera blinked at the muscular woman.

"Elm, they have those on the airship."

"But I brought mine! More for you two," Elm held up a bag of peanuts.

Sera stifled a laugh as she made her way up the ramp of the airship. _This is going to be a long day._

. . .

She and the two Ace Ops were halfway to their destination when Harriet had decided to brief Sera on their current mission.

"There's a large Grimm that's been reported destroying several small villages just a few miles from Atlas. Soldiers have been deployed to eliminate it, but none have reported back."

"And so, it's our job to kill the thing," Sera surmised.

"Pretty much," Harriet confirmed.

"Do we know what type of Grimm it is?" the amnesiac raised an eyebrow.

"We do not," Harriet sighed.

"But we're going to take it down!" Elm pounded a fist into her open palm.

Sera chuckled. "Without a doubt, big guy—er, girl."

"Damn straight," Harriet flashed a grin. "Just try not to get in the way, okay?"

"Pfft," Sera blew air. "Me? Get in the way? Funny."

"Good, then," Harriet stood. "Because we're coming up on our LZ."

"Oh, joy," Sera stood and leaned on the wall beside the door. Harriet smirked and slammed her fist into the door button. The side door slid open and wind roared into the airship.

Elm roared with laughter before jumping out of the ship. Sera peered down at the ground to see a snow-covered forest. The pine trees were thick, and she could only see splotches of snow-covered ground. Elm quickly disappeared into the dense foliage, and Sera looked up at Harriet.

The Ace Op flashed a smile before saluting at the amnesiac, then fell backwards out of the ship. Sera rolled her eyes before diving after her.

 _Great. Landing strategy time._

Wind rushed past Sera's face and her hair blew up in a plume like white fire. Her eyes narrowed as the trees got closer and closer. She spread her arms and legs out spread-eagle just before plunging through the branches.

The pine needles would've scratched her to pieces if not for her aura. Sera reached out and grabbed a particularly thick branch, focusing her aura into her hands as her body spun around the branch like a professional gymnast. Once she'd transferred all of her momentum into that, she dismounted and dived to the ground, landing swiftly next to Elm and Harriet.

"Well," Harriet said. "That was certainly a better landing for you than yesterday."

Sera shrugged. "There were trees this time."

"I liked your other landing strategy," Elm said. "It showed your strength!"

The amnesiac smirked. "So, where's this Grimm?"

Harriet glanced at the watch on her wrist, then something flew out of Sera's peripheral vision.

The amnesiac ducked and launched herself backwards as a large hammer narrowly missed her head. The head of the hammer slammed into the snow where Sera was standing, making snow fly into the air from the impact.

Sera's eyes went wide when she saw that it was Elm who had swung her hammer at her. "What the…?"

Harriet slammed one of her armored fists into the huntress's chest, sending her flying back and into a large pine tree. Sera shook off her daze and jumped to her feet, drawing Amethyst Ivory and landing in a defensive position.

"The hell are you two doing?" Sera demanded. The Ace Ops only smirked at each other and rushed forward. Sera ducked under Elm's hammer again and kicked her as she evaded to the side. The huntress instinctively brought her sword up just in time to block a punch from Harriet.

Sera's mind was running at a hundred miles a second. _Why are they attacking me?! They only would if Ironwood or Clover ordered them to. But… Why would they?_

She leaped to the side to evade another attack from Harriet. Her speed semblance was annoying in that regard; every time Sera got away, she was already on top of her again. Harriet smirked and kicked snow into Sera's face to blind her.

The amnesiac cursed and wiped the snow out of her eyes just in time to see Elm's hammer slam into her chest. Sera's back collided with another tree, and her aura visibly flickered.

"Come on! Let's see what you can really do, purple eyes!" Elm shouted. Sera spat onto the snow and got to her feet.

"Why are you two doing this?" she demanded.

Harriet shrugged. "Ironwood's orders."

"Why would he…?"

"Why do you think?"

Sera's eyes narrowed. _Because of my relation to Salem. So, all that talk about having me on his side was just crap? And now… Now he's trying to get rid of me?_

"Fine, then," Sera gritted her teeth as she gripped her sword tighter. "Then I'll show you exactly why the new Fall Maiden is scared to mess with me."

Harriet grinned, and that struck Sera as a little odd. Nevertheless, the amnesiac charged them. As soon as her foot pushed off of the snow, she took a deep breath, and everything around her slowed to a halt.

Sera smirked to herself and ran to the spot between Elm and Harriet. Without a moment's hesitation, she attacked. Her sword was a white blur as it struck the Ace Ops' frozen forms. After nearly a full minute, Sera was only beginning to feel winded.

She sheathed her sword and yanked Elm's hammer out of her hands before tossing it over her shoulder and out of reach. Sera cracked her knuckles, cranked her arm and activated Ember Celica, then stood with her fists raised. _Just like old times._

She punched each of them in the chest and face for as long as she could before she got tired. She could tell that her semblance was about to come to an end, so she wanted to finish big.

Sera punched each of them in the gut with Ember Celica and fired a round into them. Rolling her shoulders and clearing her throat, Sera stood just in front of the Ace Ops. She breathed deeply, and when she exhaled, each of the Ace Ops crumpled to their knees, their auras shattering.

"Damn," Elm panted. "Ironwood wasn't kidding about your semblance."

"Nope," Sera pumped her arm and ejected a shell from Ember Celica. Harriet got to her feet, but Sera drew Silver Linings in an instant and pointed it at her face. "Don't try it."

Harriet grinned, then she was gone. Sera whirled to find where she'd gone, but the Ace Op had just disappeared. Then before she could turn back to Elm to make sure she wouldn't do anything, the large woman slammed into her and knocked her sideways.

Sera grunted as she hit the ground. She tried to get to her feet, but Elm punched her back down. Harriet appeared in front of her. The amnesiac glanced up just for Harriet to punch her across the face with her enhanced weapons.

"Well, now," Harriet sighed. "that couldn't have been your best, could it?"

"I certainly hope not," Elm retrieved her hammer. Sera wished Nora was with her, or at least she wished she had the Valkyrie's hammer.

Sera groaned and picked herself off the ground. Her aura was still intact, but man, it did not feel good to be hit by Elm's hammer _and_ Harriet's exo-suit fist.

"Lady, you ain't seen nothing yet." Sera got to her feet and into a stance that mimicked Yang's. She waved them forward in the universal sign for "come at me."

Harriet grinned and rushed her. Sera dodged her first punch and delivered one of her own, blasting her with the gun in Ember Celica. Elm came out of nowhere during their altercation and tried to hit Sera with an overhead swing, but the amnesiac surged backwards to evade it. Harriet immediately took the opportunity to slam an elbow into her ribcage.

Sera grunted and bent to the side to dodge Harriet's follow up and caught her fist. The amnesiac held her armored fist with one hand and used her free hand to punch at Harriet's arm with Ember Celica. She saw Elm coming in from her right, her hammer ready to swing, so Sera quickly spun Harriet around and moved her in the path of the hammer while she was still stunned.

Harriet gasped as she was flung several feet away by the force of the hammer.

"Harriet, I am sorry!" Elm told her. Without hesitation, Sera rushed Elm and sent a punch her way. The muscular woman blocked it with the shaft of her hammer. Before Sera could react, Elm dropped her weapon and grabbed Sera's wrist.

Elm laughed as she locked arms with the much shorter huntress. Sera gritted her teeth and dug her heels into the snowy ground. They were in a power struggle, trying to get the upper hand.

"Come, let's test our muscle, eh?" Elm grinned. Sera said nothing. _If these two want to toy with me while trying to_ kill _me, fine. But I'll show them something they'll never forget._

The huntress narrowed her eyes when it looked like Elm was about to get the upper hand. Sera reached inside her mind to access the power she's only used a handful of times while simultaneously holding Elm back for as long as she could. Soon enough, she felt a mental twinge as she latched onto the mental power within.

Sera took a deep breath through her nose as she closed her eyes. The dark power in her mind expanded as she accessed it, and she opened her eyes.

Elm's face faltered and her hands slackened, which gave Sera the perfect opportunity to kick her in the chest and send her backwards. Sera exhaled and brought her left arm up to inspect. Sure enough, her skin was as white as the snow, and black veins webbed up her arm and down her fingers. Her nails were blackened, and she would put money on the fact that her eyes were just like Salem's now.

"Well," Sera rolled her shoulders. She could feel the power surging through her limbs. She was a bit taken aback at the way her voice changed, but she'd noticed that it did that when she turned into this "form." Sera holstered Silver Linings and slowly drew her sword, for dramatic effect. "Shall we?"

Harriet appeared out of nowhere, trying to land a blow on Sera. The amnesiac sidestepped and cleaved into her side, putting a large dent in her aura. Harriet cried out when she collided with the snowy ground.

Elm had apparently recovered from her initial shock and retrieved her hammer again. When Sera saw it coming towards her, she activated her semblance again and stepped just inside of Elm's swing. She promptly ended her semblance and caught the hammer's shaft with one hand. Flashing a quick grin, Sera wrapped both hands around the hammer and slung Elm across the clearing, landing her right beside Harriet.

The huntress ran towards the pair of Ace Ops after retrieving her sword. But just as she began to swing, Harriet cried, "Stop!"

Sera halted her swing and looked down at them. Harriet and Elm got to their feet, dusting the snow off their clothes with grins on their faces.

"You've more than proved the strength of the power you possess," Harriet told her.

Sera kept her eyes on them, never relaxing. "Then why's Ironwood trying to have me killed?"

They blinked in surprise. "Killed?" Elm asked.

"What are you talking about?" Harriet added.

"You two attacked me out of nowhere, then when I asked why, you said something like, 'why do you think.'"

They blinked again.

"Ironwood ordered us to test that 'transformation' of yours. He didn't order us to take you out," Elm said.

Sera blinked as understanding flooded over her. She slapped herself in the forehead. "Idiot," she scolded herself. "Well, this is awkward."

"Don't worry," Harriet chuckled. "I can kind of see why you'd be confused."

Sera smiled uncomfortably, then a question popped into the forefront of her mind. "What about the Grimm?"

"There is no Grimm," Elm waved away the thought. "That was just code so you wouldn't suspect us."

"Right," Sera said. "But why couldn't Ironwood or Clover just say that we were going to spar or something?"

They shrugged.

"Naturally," Sera sighed. "Well, what now? Head back to Atlas?"

"My thoughts exactly," Harriet smiled and put a hand on her hip. "After all that, we deserve a break."

Then an ear-splitting roar pierced through the trees, and the three huntresses whirled around towards the sound. It sounded close.

"I thought you said there was no Grimm," Sera gripped her sword tighter.

"There wasn't," Elm hefted her hammer.

"Well, there is now!"

"Just calm down," Harriet raised her fists. "We can take it down, _then_ head back to Atlas."

"Why not just leave?" Sera asked. "We're in the middle of the forest. A single Grimm couldn't be that bad."

"We would," Elm said. "But there's a village about a kilometer behind us."

"Seriously? You had us dropped off so close to civilization? Why, if we were supposed to be in the forest for a big fight?" Sera asked. She was acutely aware that she was still in her "transformed" state.

"In case anything happened. Like an injury," Elm answered.

"Awesome," Sera muttered. "What could this thing be?"

"In this area? I have no idea," Harriet admitted. "There's usually only Beowolves and Ursa around here."

"That sounded bigger than an Ursa," Elm observed.

The Grimm roared again, much closer this time. Sera could hear snow crunching under large and heavy feet.

Harriet rolled her shoulders. "Who cares? Let's take it down before it finds that village."

"I agree," Elm hefted her hammer.

"Whatever," Sera rested Amethyst Ivory onto her shoulder. "As long as you two stop attacking me."

The trees across the clearing fell forward and slammed into the ground, and that was when they saw it. The Grimm was massive; easily more than twice as large as the Manticore that Sera fought on the train. Except this one was different.

The large Grimm had a bulky canine body with not one, not two, but _three_ heads with powerful jaws. Each of the heads were armored, as well as its large chest, back and four powerful legs.

"What is that?" Elm murmured.

The name popped into Sera's head. Cerberus. She'd never seen this type of Grimm, but she recognized it. "A Cerberus Grimm."

"You've encountered one before?" Harriet asked, her eyes never leaving the beast. It had just taken notice of them and lowered itself to the ground in a hostile stance.

"Never," Sera admitted. "Unless I fought one before I lost my memory."

"Well, let's hope you remember how to fight it! 'Cause here it comes!" Elm raised her hammer. Sure enough, the Cerberus roared with all three heads and ran at the huntresses. Its large and powerful paws pounded the ground as it cleared the distance between them in several long strides.

Sera leaped into the air with her sword raised and met the Grimm head on. She tried to hit its center head, but the two outer ones snapped at her without hesitation. Each of the Grimm's heads were roughly the size of a truck, if that was an indication of the creature's size. The huntress was forced to abandon her attack and jump off of the Grimm, kicking it in its center face for good measure.

Elm rushed from Sera's right, slamming her hammer into the Cerberus's side and making the beast yelp. Its left head wheeled on Elm and bit onto her hammer's shaft. Elm held her ground, fighting to yank her weapon free.

Harriet was a blur as she sprinted towards the Cerberus. She delivered a series of sharp punches to its body and heads before it could even register that it had been attacked.

Sera clicked a button on her sword's hilt and transformed the weapon into its rifle form. She sent a volley of Dust rounds into the Grimm's hide. The Cerberus roared in her direction and dug its paws into the snow.

"Uh-oh," Sera thought aloud as the Grimm pounced. She had just enough time to roll to the side before it landed on the ground with an earth-shaking thud. The amnesiac came up fast on one knee. She fired directly into the Cerberus's left head and made the Grimm roar at the over-penetrating rounds.

The Grimm spun towards her and snapped at Sera with its jaws. Luckily, Elm leaped into the sky and brought her hammer down on the Grimm's back. Sera heard a loud cracking sound and she had a feeling that it was the armor on its back.

Cerberus roared and craned two of its necks to attack Elm while the final head stayed focused on Sera. The amnesiac slammed the butt of her rifle into the head and jumped to her feet. Harriet sprinted up one of its legs and landed on its back beside Elm, using her armored fists to damage its heads.

Sera leaped towards the Grimm to assist them and activated Ember Celica. After punching the right head across the face, planted her feet on the Grimm's head. The beast did exactly what she was hoping it'd do when something lands on someone's head: it raised its head straight up and whined indignantly. Sera used the momentum to push off of its head and fly straight up. Once at the arc of her jump, she shouldered her rifle and cocked Ember Celica with a backwards thrust of her arm.

With a grin, she straightened her body into a dive as she fell back down to the ground. As soon as she got close enough, she slammed her fist into the Grimm's middle head. The Cerberus's outer heads roared as their twin went slack. Sera didn't know if she killed the head or just knocked it out, but she sure as hell hurt it.

"Nice one!" Harriet complimented as she evaded a swipe from the Grimm's paw.

Sera hit the ground with a thud and ejected a shotgun shell from Yang's former gauntlet. "I think it's gonna take a lot more than that, though!" she called to them.

Elm slammed her hammer into the Grimm's side again and made it stumble. "Why not use your semblance again and end this quickly?" She asked.

Sera glanced at her arm, still white and filled with thin black veins webbed across it. "I don't know how long it'll last; I can only use it in short bursts before having to rest. And I used most of it earlier against you two."

"Well, can you try?" Harriet asked. "I'd rather get this over with quickly!"

Sera rolled her eyes before evading another attack. "I thought you two were top huntresses!"

"We are!" Elm deflected the Grimm's paw away from her. The center head shook its daze off and growled at Sera. Apparently, she'd only knocked it out after all. "But we're supposed to be testing you, remember?"

"I thought I passed that!" Sera transformed her weapon back into a sword.

"Well, here's another test," Harriet told her. Sera sighed and ran in front of the Cerberus.

"Hey, ugly!" she called up to it. All three heads turned to her and snarled. The huntress glared up at it, her sword tight in her hand. The Grimm rushed towards her, its paws raised and jaws open. As soon as it got within three feet of her, Sera thought a single word. _Stop._

The Cerberus halted directly in front of her, all six of its glowing red eyes trained on Sera.

The huntress glanced over at Elm and Harriet. They were frozen, watching with interest at Sera the moment before she used her semblance.

Sera turned her attention back to the Grimm and drew Silver Linings. _I don't have much time,_ she thought. _Only a few seconds more._ She fired the entire cylinder at the beast, sending three Dust rounds towards each head. The bullets froze in midair just inches away from its faces. Without taking the time to reload, she holstered the gun and readied Ember Celica, then fired all of its shells at the Cerberus. Once it emptied, she drew her sword.

Sera gripped its handle with both hands sliced across each of its heads as powerfully as she could. She didn't get to for long, though. She'd only hit the Grimm a handful of times before she felt a tug in her mind.

Sera exhaled sharply as her semblance ended. A wave of nausea washed over her, and she only had the energy to jump to the side as the Grimm resumed movement and sailed past her. However, immediately, the Cerberus roared in agony and fell forward.

The amnesiac panted heavily and rose to her knees. She dug her sword into the ground and tried to pick herself up, but Harriet appeared at her side and stopped her with a touch.

"Just sit here for a minute, kiddo. We'll take it from here." Then she and Elm rushed to the Grimm, their weapons aloft.

"Yeah," Sera panted. "Wait till I wear it down to swoop in and kill it. Good job, team."

She decided that being on her knees was too tiring, so she fell back and sat in the snow. Her chest rose and fell heavily, and she felt like she wasn't getting enough air, so she tried to relax. She breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth, and soon enough she started to feel better.

The last time she'd pushed herself like that, it was down in Haven's vault while fighting Raven and Cinder. By time Sera felt strong enough to sit up, the Cerberus was dead and melting into shadow. It was slow to disintegrate, but finally it was completely gone, its remnants blowing in the wind.

Sera stabbed her sword into the ground again and hauled herself to her feet. She transformed Ember Celica back into a bracelet and popped another cylinder into Silver Linings before returning the weapon to its holster.

Elm and Harriet rejoined her with a mix of relief and worry on their faces.

"You alright?" Harriet asked.

"Yeah," Sera got unsteadily to her feet and sheathed Amethyst Ivory. When she brought her arm up to put the weapon away, she saw that her skin tone had returned to normal. _Probably happened when the semblance ended._ "Can we leave now?"

Ten minutes later, the three huntresses were safely aboard an Atlesian airship and flying back to the academy. Sera was given a bottle of water and a protein bar from a box once she sat down.

"Feeling better yet?" Harriet asked once Sera was on her third protein bar.

"Starting to." She finished the rest of her water. "When I overexert myself like that, it's pretty rough. Back at Beacon, when I was still practicing with my semblance, sometimes I'd sleep for a whole day. The fact that I'm not unconscious right now says a lot," Sera said with some pride.

"It was interesting to witness," Elm said. "I was sure that Grimm was about to get you, then the next second you were gone, and it was on the ground."

Sera shrugged. "Sums up most of my fights."

"And that… _power_ you used. Your skin turned white, and—"

"I know," Sera interrupted. "I don't like using it. Every time I do, the only thing I can think about is that this power is only possible because of _her."_

"Salem," Harriet frowned. Sera nodded in response.

"I understand why you're aversive towards your inherited power," Elm said with meaningful eyes. "But it is not healthy to harbor such dislike for yourself, no matter what it is."

"Then what do you suggest I do?" Sera quirked an eyebrow.

"Make it your own," Harriet told her.

Sera smirked. "You know, I'm pretty sure someone else told me that same thing. So much has happened…" she her fingers through her hair. "I don't even remember who it was."

"Well, it's good advice." Elm chuckled.

"If—no, _when_ you see Salem again, that'd be one hell of a way to throw in her face how much you reject her." Harriet grinned.

Sera thought about it. "That's not a terrible idea," she smiled, imagining the look on Salem's face.

"Good," Elm stood and grabbed her hammer.

"Come on, kid." Harriet got to her feet as well. "We're home."

 _Home,_ Sera almost laughed. She remembered her time in the Xiao Long household with Tai, Qrow, Ruby and Yang. That was the most at home she's ever felt. _Yeah, that was home. Atlas—that's just temporary._

"Yeah," Sera stood and joined the Ace Ops near the door. "Good to be back."

. . .

"They did _WHAT?"_ Yang demanded. Sera had only just made it back to her team's room when her teammates bombarded her with questions about her 'License-B huntress mission.'

Sera sighed and climbed up to the bunk that she and Yang shared. "Don't worry, I handled it."

"What, you just fought off two Ace Ops by yourself?" Weiss asked.

"Yep." Sera yawned. "And a big Grimm. Had to use my semblance to the point of exhaustion."

"So, that's why you're so tired?" Blake asked.

"Mostly." She glanced at her team standing by the beds. "Plus, I _have_ been up since like three in the morning."

"What kind of Grimm?" Ruby asked. Sera met the scythe wielder's silver eyes.

"Some sort of three-headed dog. It was huge—bigger than a Manticore."

"Strange." Weiss pinched her chin with two fingers in thought.

"What?" Sera sat up and leaned onto her elbows.

"I've heard of that kind of Grimm—a pilot for my father's company once reported something similar after a delivery flight to Vacuo."

"Of course," Sera fell back with a sigh. "Probably a Grimm from my past."

"What makes you think that?" Yang asked.

"Because I recognized it. I didn't know how, but I knew what it was—a Cerberus."

"Interesting," Blake said.

Ruby checked her scroll. "Guys, it's time for lunch. We better go get some before Nora eats it all."

"You four go ahead," Sera grabbed a blanket. "I'm gonna stay here." When Sera turned over and covered herself up, she heard the door open.

"Be back soon, Sera," Ruby said.

The amnesiac gave a wave and let her hand fall back to the mattress. The door closed, and she let out a sigh. Then she felt someone climbing onto the bed and lay beside her.

Yang put an arm over Sera and put her chin over her shoulder. "Mind if I stay?"

"Not at all." Sera turned her head to look at her. "So, how was clearing out the mines with Blake?"

Yang rolled her eyes. "About as boring as I thought it'd be. That Marrow guy suggested that we split up because we fight together too much."

"But you two are like, partners in crime," Sera yawned.

"That's what we told him." Yang smirked. "Let's just say that he won't comment on it anymore."

"That's good." Sera murmured sleepily. "Glad you got that sorted."

"I still don't like that Harriet and Elm just attacked you," Yang sighed.

"Just following orders." Sera closed her eyes. She could feel herself slipping away into sleep, and the extremely comfortable bed and blankets, plus the warm embrace of a lovely blonde wasn't helping.

"Tired?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Okay, you can sleep." Yang laughed.

"Yay…" Sera nestled into her pillow.

The last thing she felt was a soft kiss on her cheek before she slipped into unconsciousness.


	21. Huntress Work with a Side of Funk

The next few days went by relatively smoothly. Sera and her team undertook simple missions every day to control the number of Grimm in Mantle and outside its walls.

After Sera fought the Ace Ops and Grimm, she slept for nearly the entire next day. Ruby had to lure her out of bed with a bottle of People Like Grapes soda.

They and JNPR woke up every morning at five sharp to get ready for their day. By six, they were all waiting for their briefing from Clover. Sera and her friends carried out their assignments during the day and did whatever they wished to during the night.

Tensions continued to rise as election day for chairman on the Council creeped drew nearer by the hour. Robyn Hill was in the lead by a _lot,_ especially after a video Jacques Schnee put out. The CEO promised many things to the good people of Mantle, and Sera wasn't quite sure what to make of it. She dislikes the man, of course, but she wasn't into politics.

Just the day after Sera's combat testing, Ruby, Qrow, Clover, and Penny had a run-in with Robyn Hill. She and her "Happy Huntresses" had tried to steal the supply trucks they were protecting. Fortunately, Penny and Clover had convinced them to stand down. Still, though, the people of Mantle knew something was going on with Amity Arena, and now Robyn was likely determined to find out what.

But after Sera was back at full strength and ready to fight again, she was pleased to see Neon and her team in Atlas Academy. Apparently, the Faunus had ditched her job as a DJ back in Argus and returned home with Flynt and their other teammates. JNPR and Oscar has been sparring with them in the training room.

Things were starting to feel normal again for Sera. She had a daily routine and orders to carry out with her friends. With her B-level license, she could go just about anywhere in the academy except for the top-level clearance. She frequently did training fights against bots and sparring matches with other huntsmen to train herself. Out of all the Atlas students in the academy, few could match team RWBYS in direct combat.

Sera even found herself visiting the library to find out what she could about Shade Academy and different types of Grimm. Weiss even volunteered to give her a lesson on Dust and ways to use it more effectively. She'd told Sera that if she'd remember to use it with her weapons more often, she'd be more efficient in combat.

" _I kind of forget that it can do stuff with Dust,"_ Sera had said to her, holding up her weapon for emphasis.

" _Typical."_ Weiss rolled her eyes. _"You'd probably be a better huntress if you'd just use your head, you know."_

Even with Weiss's ever-present heiress-like snark towards the amnesiac, Sera still enjoyed her time in Atlas. And it only got better whenever Clover had given her team and JNPR the rest of the day off to do whatever they want.

The sun was barely down, and the night was full of possibilities.

"What do you guys wanna do?" Ruby asked enthusiastically.

"Aren't you going to that thing for Robyn Hill?" Blake asked.

"Oh, right."

"Team FNKI said something about going to a dance club." Yang shrugged. Sera remembered the last club she went to with Neon.

"I dunno." She admitted. "Those places are too loud and crowded. And people get a little crazy."

"That's the point!" Yang countered.

Sera crossed her arms. "I thought FNKI annoyed you."

"That's why a club is perfect! I can't hear them," Yang insisted.

The amnesiac rolled her eyes. The door to their room creaked open, and RWBYS turned to see Ren and Nora standing there. "Uh, you coming Ruby?" Nora asked.

"I still can't believe you're going to that," Weiss said.

"Just because Ironwood hates Robyn doesn't mean we all have to," said Nora.

"But going to a victory party?"

"You can still go if you wanna." Ruby shrugged as she went to join Ren and Nora.

"Gonna pass on that one," Weiss said. Ruby, Ren, and Nora left them to go to Robyn Hill's victory party.

"Dance clubs aren't a safe place to be!" Sera continued to berate Yang.

"We're huntresses!"

Jaune peeked his head around the doorway. "Oh, they're arguing now. Pyrrha, Oscar, and I are going to catch a movie if you wanna—"

"Yup!" Weiss said.

"Oh, okay." Jaune scratched his head, apparently surprised that Weiss actually agreed. The four of them left the room, leaving Blake, Yang, and Sera.

"Why don't you like night clubs?" Blake asked the amnesiac.

"Like I said, loud, crowded, and crazy people."

Yang and Blake glanced at each other. "Blake, you mind waiting outside for a moment?"

The Faunus nodded and wordlessly stepped outside. Sera quirked an eyebrow at Yang as she stepped up to her. With a sly grin, the brawler draped her arms around Sera's neck and met her eyes.

"You don't wanna come spend time with me?" she asked innocently. Sera hesitated.

"You're making it out to be worse than it actually is," she told Yang.

"We're supposed to go out and do stuff together, you know."

"Yeah," Sera shifted on her heels. "But stuff we're _both_ supposed to enjoy. And I particularly do not want and would not enjoy a nightclub."

Yang smiled mischievously as she pressed further against Sera. "And what would it take for you to _want_ to go with us?"

Sera cast her eyes to the side momentarily to avoid Yang's gaze. When she returned her eyes to the blonde, she was scanning Sera's face with a strange look in her eyes that the amnesiac had never seen before. Sera took in the brawler's form, starting from her boots and working her way up.

After a moment, she relented.

"Fine," she sighed. Sera drew her face in close to Yang's, a smirk on her lips. "Maybe there is one thing you can do that'll _convince_ me."

Yang grinned as her cheeks flushed.

. . .

"This was the best thing that could have possibly happened," Sera announced.

"Speak for yourself," Yang grumbled.

"What, you didn't enjoy it?" Sera asked.

"No, no. It just didn't go how I expected."

"Same," Blake said.

"Yeah, you just kind of jumped in at the end there with that wiener thing." Yang looked over at the Faunus.

"That's not what that was." Blake's cat ears flattened against her head.

"All in all, that was a very successful trip to the store." Sera held aloft the six-pack of People Like Grapes soda that Yang bought for her.

Sera's one condition for going to the nightclub was that she wanted her most favorite drink for the walk over. So, the three of them stopped at a little store in Atlas to pick it up. Of course, while they were checking out, Blake plopped a narrow stick of tubed salmon jerky onto the counter. Sera didn't even _know_ they made salmon jerky, much less in that form.

Now, the three of them were walking to the nightclub that Neon told Yang and Blake about.

"Did you have to get a whole box?" Yang eyed the cardboard carton that held the glass bottles of deep purple liquid.

"If I'm going to this thing, I need something to hold me over." Sera said as she popped the top on her third bottle.

"You do know they have, ahem, stronger drinks inside." Blake glanced at her.

"Stronger drinks that I want _neither_ of you touching." Sera pointed at each of them with her bottle.

"Aw, what?" Yang whined.

"I mean it," Sera affirmed. "None."

"It's our night off!"

"And Clover told us that he wanted us rested and ready for whatever may happen tomorrow."

"Since when do you like Clover so much?" Yang quirked an eyebrow.

"Since he gave me this shiny new huntress license." Sera grinned as she held up her scroll, her license on-screen.

"Show off," Yang grumbled.

"I try." Sera shrugged.

"You two are ridiculous," Blake chuckled. "You're too much alike."

"And that's a bad thing?" Yang asked with a grin.

"Not necessarily." She responded. "People like that are usually the worst of enemies because they're always butting heads, or the best of friends."

"How do you know that?" Sera asked as she placed her now empty bottle back in its carton. She was a lot of things, but a litterer was not one of them.

Blake shrugged. "A book."

"Figures. Was this one of your 'romance' books?"

The Faunus's cheeks colored. "No," she responded stiffly.

"What ever happened to those books? I've noticed you're doing a lot less reading since Beacon—" Yang asked.

"Oh look, the nightclub!" Blake pointed. Sure enough, a large building with brightly colored lights flashing through the windows and onto the dark street. A long line was winding down the street and a giant bouncer stood by the door with his beefy arms crossed.

"Are we supposed to wait in line?" Blake asked.

"I hope not," Yang said.

"Pfft, watch this. We can just do what I did in Argus," Sera handed Yang her soda, cracked her knuckles, then marched right up to the bouncer. She intended to just walk right past him, but the bouncer stuck his arm out and blocked her. "Hey!"

"Back of the line. "He jabbed his thumb towards the line. Sera could see her reflection in his sunglasses he wore, despite it now being nighttime.

She narrowed her eyes at the much taller man, and Blake and Yang appeared at her sides.

"We have friends inside," Blake told him. "So, if you could just—"

"Back of the line," the bouncer repeated, more sternly.

"But—" Yang said.

"You on the VIP list?" he interrupted.

"Maybe?" Yang said hopefully.

"Names?"

"Yang Xiao Lo—"

"Back of the line."

"But you didn't even let her finish!" Sera protested.

"Because she's not on the list." The bouncer glowered down at them. "Now, back of the line."

Sera's fists clenched in anger at the man. Sure, he was just doing his job, but she did _not_ feel like waiting several hours just to get inside. "Oh, yeah?" Well you—"

"It's fine." Blake put a hand on her shoulder. Sera and the bouncer continued to glare at each other until Blake pulled her away. "Come on."

"Fine." Sera turned away from him and marched towards the end of the line. Her friends hurried to catch up. She could tell because she heard the soda bottles quickly clinking together.

"What was your plan? To just walk past him?" Yang asked rhetorically. "In hindsight, that was a pretty shitty plan."

"Shut it, Xiao Long."

"Then what? He or some guards inside would've just got you."

"Don't, Yang," Sera warned.

"What were you gonna do if that happened? Fight them all off? In the middle of Atlas? A huntress attacking people doesn't send a very good message, Snowball."

The amnesiac whirled around to Yang and sent her hand towards her. Yang, being a brave huntress who stares death in the face every day, flinched and held up the carton of bottles in her hands to shield herself.

Sera snatched an unopen bottle and popped the cap.

"What the-?" Yang asked.

"What did you think my plan was?" Sera asked in a mocking tone. "To just hit you for no good reason? In hindsight, that was pretty shitty on your part if you think I'd hit you, Blondie."

"Oh, shut up," Yang told her. Blake cracked a smile as they went down the sidewalk.

"What do we do now?" Blake asked. As they reached the back of the line and stood behind the group of people at the end. "Just wait in line?"

"What else? It's not like someone's just going to just take us to the front and let us—"

"Guys?" a familiar voice said. They turned to see Neon and Flynt standing a few feet away. "What're you doing?"

"Waiting in line?" Blake said.

"Why would you do that?" Flynt asked.

"Because we have to?" Yang blinked.

"The bouncer wouldn't let us in," Sera added.

Neon laughed. "No, silly. Come on, follow us."

Sera and her friends looked at each other with questioning glances before trailing after Neon and Flynt. Neon walked right up to the bouncer, and the large man stepped aside. His expression softened and Neon gave him a fist bump before she went in. Flynt Coal tipped his fedora at him and followed his teammate. When it was Yang's turn, the bouncer's face hardened.

"It's cool, Maurice." Neon told him. The bouncer, presumably Maurice, grumbled and waved for them to go in. Yang smirked and waltzed right in. Blake silently followed her, then Sera stuck her tongue out at Maurice before following her friends.

"Really?" Blake asked her.

"Eh, it was worth it." Sera shrugged.

Bass boosted music blasted from giant speakers and drowned out all other noise in the large club. A large dance floor with flashing tiles dominated the room. There was a long liquor bar on the far wall. A tall DJ podium sat just behind the dance floor with equipment taking up most of the small stage. On top of all that, the place was filled with people. The dance floor had bodies packed together so tightly, Sera wondered how they were dancing at all.

"Well, now what?" Blake asked, her volume raised to be heard over the music.

"We enjoy ourselves!" Yang replied.

Neon saluted at them before heading in a different direction.

"Where are you going?" Sera asked her. Neon only grinned and pointed at the DJ's podium. Sera rolled her eyes in mock annoyance, then Neon took off. Flynt tapped her shoulder, and she turned to see him hook a thumb towards the bar. Sera shook her head. He shrugged and went in that direction.

"What do you wanna do?" Yang asked her. Sera noticed that she got rid of the bottles she was holding, so her arms were now empty. Sera shrugged, and Blake looked just as lost. The only one out of them with any real experience in this sort of setting is Yang

"I dunno," Sera shrugged. "You're Miss Dance Club, aren't you?"

Yang rolled her lilac eyes and grabbed Sera's and Blake's hands and hauled them to the center of the dance floor. Whenever Yang let go and started dancing, Sera and Blake glanced at each other uncomfortably.

Their blonde teammate was dancing by standing in place and kicking in a way that imitated walking. She smiled at them like she was already having fun, but Sera and Blake still didn't know what to do. After a moment, Blake tried to imitate Yang's dance and semi-pulled it off. Yang laughed at her attempt good naturedly and kept dancing. When she turned her eyes to Sera, the amnesiac only shrugged.

Yang made a show of sighing, then took Sera's hand again and pulled her into a dance. The amnesiac's eyes went wide as Yang took both of her hands and did a more exaggerated version of the dance she was doing before. Only now, Sera had to do it too if the blonde was to move smoothly.

She tried to move in sync with Yang and mimic her moves, but she just didn't seem able to do it. She stepped on Yang's toes and bumped into other partygoers, but Yang didn't seem to mind. The brawler laughed at her, and Sera couldn't help but feel embarrassed as she made a fool of herself.

"Calm down," Yang smiled. "You're doing fine."

"Easy for you to say," Sera said, her eyes never leaving her feet so she didn't accidentally kick someone. She managed to look up quick enough to see Blake trying not to laugh. "You are in _so_ much trouble when we get out of here."

"We'll see, Snowball." Yang grinned.

After a few minutes, Sera finally got the hang of the dance. She and Yang grinned at each other as they became the center of attention. Blake joined in where she could, and Neon even changed the song to a more energetic and upbeat one match their attitude.

"You're getting good at this!" Yang laughed.

"Yeah, well, give me fifteen minutes to do just about anything and I'll get better at it." Sera grinned.

"If you say so."

"Is that a challenge, Xiao Long?"

"Only if you can back up half the nonsense that you come up with."

"Oh, yeah, you're so dead." Sera squeezed her hands tightly.

A brightly lit screen suddenly drew everyone's attention to the left wall. Sera realized that it was the current status of the voting for chairman. It was neck and neck, with Robyn just barely in the lead.

"Oh, no," Blake said. Sera and Yang let go of each other and turned their attention to the screen. The timer had less than a minute left, and Jacques Schnee's percentage was getting higher.

Neon stopped the music and the flashing lights flickered out.

"What happens if he wins?" Sera murmured.

"I have no idea," Yang admitted.

"Nothing good. That much is certain," Blake said.

"Weiss isn't going to be happy," Sera noted.

" _Mantle_ isn't going to be happy," Yang corrected.

Twenty seconds left. Jacques was at forty-nine percent while Robyn barely led with fifty-one. The crowd became uneasy with how close it was getting, and Sera didn't blame them.

Sera's eyes widened, and when she met her friends' eyes, they had formed the same conclusion.

"If Jacques wins, and everyone is leaning towards Robyn to solve everyone's problems…" Sera said.

"And Jacques is as hated by everyone as much as his own daughters hate him…" Yang added.

"Then him winning the election is going to cause everyone in Mantle much grief," Blake continued.

"And a whole city of people being thatupset is going to attract a _lot_ of Grimm." Sera finished.

A video of Jacques suddenly appeared on the screen. He sat with his fingers interlaced on top of a desk. A smug aura surrounded him as he spoke. Everyone in the nightclub erupted with outrage at the white-haired man.

Sera glanced at the bottom of the screen. _Damn it! While we were talking, he won the election!_

"Oh, great," Sera sighed.

"That's not good." Blake's fists tightened.

Sirens blared from the street, soon followed by distant roars of Grimm.

"That's not good, either." Yang thrusted her arm to activate her prosthetic arm's weaponized form. "Let's get out there."

"Right," Blake nodded.

"The one day I don't bring my sword," Sera grumbled. She didn't see the point in carrying a large sword into a nightclub. She couldn't compact it into a smaller form like Ruby can with Crescent Rose. But she still had Silver Linings and the half of Ember Celica that Yang had given her.

The three of them pushed through the slightly panicking crowd to get outside and onto the street. Atlesian Knights and soldiers rushed down the sidewalk with rifles at the ready. Flying Grimm soared over the streets. Fortunately, there didn't seem to be too many of them.

Sphinxes and Manticores attacked various soldiers while sirens sounded through the streets. Blake pulled out Gambol Shroud in its pistol form and fired at the monsters.

Sera drew Silver Linings and fired at whatever Grimm she could. Yang couldn't do much while the Grimm were in the air, but she provided moral support by cheering them on.

After they managed to help take down a few of the Sphinxes, the Atlas air force finally arrived. The fight was over much sooner than it would've been when the airships started cutting the Grimm out of the air with their bullets. When the final Manticore disintegrated into black ash, the sirens stopped abruptly, and the red warning lights dimmed. The normal streetlights covered the dark streets.

"Well," Sera said as she holstered Silver Linings. "That was anticlimactic."

"Not every fight is as over the top as you think, Snowball." Yang put a hand on her hip.

"Yeah, but that was boring." Blake put away Gambol Shroud.

"See? Even Blake agrees with me." Sera smirked at Yang.

Yang rolled her eyes. "Just come on, let's get back to the academy."

"Tired?" Sera asked cheekily.

"Of you, yes."

"Oh, you're dead."

"That's what you said inside, and I'm still here," Yang retorted.

"Guys, can we just go back now?" Blake asked.

"What about Neon and Flynt?" Sera asked.

"They'll be fine if we leave. There was that Grimm attack, after all." Yang waved the thought away.

"But it might not be the last one," Blake said.

"True."


	22. Hunting Tyrian

"Well, this is just fantastic!" General Ironwood slammed his fist onto his desk. "Even more people are dead, Penny's been framed for it, and _SOMEHOW,_ Jacques Schnee is on the council."

A quick meeting had been called the next morning to discuss the events of the previous night. Regrettably, the victory party that Ruby, Ren, and Nora went to for Robyn Hill was attacked, and Penny has been framed as the prime suspect.

According to Ruby, the scorpion Faunus Tyrian was the real culprit. Of course, Robyn didn't believe it. However, Sera believed it immediately. She had no doubt that Salem had something in play in all of this.

Ironwood, Ruby, Ren, Nora, Qrow, Winter, Clover, and Sera stood in the General's office for the meeting, and everyone was on edge.

"That's the second shipment for Amity that has been hit today. It seems that election night was the last push needed for Robyn to go from hometown hero to full-on vigilante," Clover said.

"More like full-on terrorist," Sera mumbled.

"I'm afraid the problem is more complicated than that," Winter added.

Ironwood sighed, exasperated. "It seems Robyn has emboldened our suppliers in Mantle. They're refusing to sell us provisions until the city is adequately repaired." He began to pace stiffly behind his desk. "With Robyn redistributing the goods her team has stolen, the Amity Project has completely stalled."

"Let me go after her," Sera crossed her arms. "I'm tired of hearing about this woman and her group of 'happy huntresses.' I think it's time I met her and asked what her deal is." She slammed a fist into her open palm.

"All in its own time," Ironwood told her.

"There has to be some way to finish the tower," Ruby said.

"There is," Winter looked at her. "Declaring martial law."

"You can't be seriously considering that," Ren said.

"What's more important?" Ironwood clasped his hands behind his back and gazed out the windows of his office. "Restoring communications and uniting the world, or appeasing a few city blocks?"

"Don't make it sound trivial when you know it isn't," Nora told the general. "You keep talking about how we need just a little more time, but you're not the one having to struggle."

"We have all had to make sacrifices for the greater good. Mantle has had to bear a lot of the burden, yes, but—"

"They're bearing all of it!" Nora retorted. "The longer this waiting game goes on, the harder it gets for the people down there. And now you wanna send in more soldiers? You can't force people to fall in line. If you do that, you'll just be trading all of these problems for the Grimm!"

Sera shifted uncomfortably. The tension was so thick, she could cut it with a rusted butter knife. Finally, Ironwood sighed and sat in his chair, putting his face in his hands with visible stress.

"Please, General Ironwood. Squeezing Mantle this way… That kind of division plays right into Salem's hands," Ruby said.

Sera put a hand on her shoulder tentatively. "He's doing the best he can, Rubes. Imagine being in his position. I sure can't."

Ruby hesitated at her words. "That's why Tyrian is framing you, General."

"Right," Clover turned to them. "The reason why we called you here in the first place." He made a hologram appear from his scroll, pulling up a clear headshot of Tyrian with a page full of text. "Are you sure this is the man you saw?"

"That's definitely Tyrian," Ruby confirmed. "He works for Salem, and now he's here."

"If we had any doubt that Atlas was Salem's next target, they all just took a fiery nosedive out of the window." Qrow crossed his arms.

"But now we have a suspect. We can tell people!" Ruby said.

"Right," Clover snorted. "A long-lost serial killer is now loose in Mantle, and the military have no idea where he is—might make things worse before they get any better."

"I am so _sick_ of secrets," Nora groaned. "If we just told everyone about Amity, about Salem—"

"We can't!" Ironwood slammed his palms onto the desk as he stood. "If we talk about Amity now, we risk Salem's forces, who we know are here trying to sabotage it. If we talk about Salem, the Grimm swarm in before communications are restored. We have to finish the tower. I want Robyn Hill in custody. We can offer her a deal if she gets Mantle to cooperate. Anyone not assisting with Robyn needs to focus on Tyrian. I want to know who he's working with, where he's hiding, what he's planning, and how exactly that video of Penny leaked all over my kingdom." The General walked past everyone and to the large double doors that led out of his office. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir." Everyone responded.

"Then get to work." Ironwood told them. One by one, Qrow, Ruby, Ren, Nora, and Clover left the office. Ironwood closed the door behind them and sighed heavily, turning to Winter and Sera. "Sera," he said, his voice softer and not as heavy. "What're you still doing here?"

"I have a question," she responded.

"Shoot," he nodded.

"If Ruby and the others were brought in because of Tyrian, why was I called to the meeting? I wasn't at the victory party last night."

"Because as a young B-license huntress, this was a good learning experience for you," he clasped his hands behind his back.

Sera raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

"Very perceptive," he chuckled. "If Salem is truly behind this attack—"

"She definitely is."

"Then I wanted you here because of your, ah, relation to her. Like it or not, you're as vital to this operation as the Ace Ops or even me. According to Qrow, that power you inherited from her is a good playing card against Salem, as is Ruby's silver eyes."

"So I've been told," Sera mumbled. Despite how much stress the General was under, he laughed.

"You don't like that sort of attention, do you? Being addressed as Salem's daughter, I mean."

"No," Sera admitted, uncrossing her arms. "Because I believe I'm more than just that. I'll define who I am myself, and I refuse to stand in _her_ dark shadow. But I will do anything to stop Ruby from having to face Salem. She doesn't deserve that, and neither do any of the others."

Ironwood nodded. "That's very admirable. No matter what, you wish to protect your friends from harm." Then he chuckled lightly. "You remind me of another huntress I knew who also found their place at Beacon."

Sera waited, but the General didn't explain. "The time I spent in her castle was hard. I still don't even know exactly how long I was trapped there for. But yes, I would protect them from her."

"Unfortunately, you might not have a choice," Winter spoke up. "You can't protect everyone, no matter how much you want to."

"We'll see about that," Sera said to her. Winter frowned but did not talk further. Then the amnesiac turned her eyes back to Ironwood. "So, what am I to do?"

He shrugged. "Help take Robyn into custody or track down Tyrian. The choice is yours. Both are of the highest priority."

Sera thought about it for a moment. She wants to meet Robyn face to face, but she also wants to beat the ever-loving tar out of Tyrian.

"Both of them," she answered.

Ironwood's eyes widened slightly. "Very well," he chuckled. "Within the hour, I'm going to order for decoy supplies trucks to be deployed. With a little luck, they'll try to ambush one, and we'll have a shot at Robyn. As for Tyrian, well… we don't have many leads on him. Qrow and Clover are heading that search, so report to them."

"Got it." Sera nodded.

"I truly am glad that you, Oscar, and the others from Beacon are here in Atlas." He put a hand on Sera's shoulder. "I need all the help I can muster for the plans I've made."

Sera gulped. "Yes, sir. Wouldn't miss it for the world," she joked. She was tempted to tell the General what her team had told her about the Lamp and Jinn. Sure, she'd realized that they had seen nearly the exact same vision that Salem had shown _her_ while Sera was making her escape from her mother's castle, but what Ruby told her was even more troubling than the vision.

Jinn is the being or entity or whatever within the Relic of Knowledge, and therefor "knows all." From what her friends had told her, Jinn said that Salem _could not_ be destroyed. Sera didn't know if the whole thing about her and Ruby being the best shot they had against Salem still stood or not, but she'd try her damn best to destroy her mother anyway.

"Good," Ironwood squeezed her shoulder before letting go and returning it to behind his back. "You're free to do as you wish pertaining to Tyrian and Robyn, so long that it's not too extreme."

"Understood, General." Sera nodded with a slight smile. She turned to leave, but before she could step through the door, Ironwood spoke.

"One more thing," he said, closing the door. Sera quirked an eyebrow, but she didn't raise any objections. "Something regarding the Winter Maiden."

"General, you're going to tell her-?" Winter protested.

Ironwood raised a hand to stop her. "No secrets, remember? We're a team; we have to trust each other." Sera winced at his words, because they were still keeping the secret about Salem from him. "The Winter Maiden is here, in Atlas."

"Really? Who is she? Please don't tell me it's Winter," Sera said, looking at the Schnee. Winter flustered, but the General continued before she could smite Sera down with her (maybe) powers.

"No, she's not Winter." The General chuckled. "But the Maiden _is_ sick. Dying, in fact. And Winter is the only person allowed to see her."

The gears in Sera's head slowly began to turn and as she processed Ironwood's words. "You want to make Winter the new Maiden. Because when a Maiden dies, the power transfers to the person who was last in their thoughts, and if only Winter sees her for a long time, you think that Winter will be the last one in her thoughts when—when she dies."

"Exactly," James nodded. "We cannot let another Maiden fall to Salem. With Cinder being the Fall and Raven being Spring, there is only one other Maiden left on Remnant, and I'd prefer that we have her on our side as well."

"Me, too," Sera agreed. She shuddered at the thought of the Summer Maiden being in Salem's control. Or worse, if Cinder managed to find her and take her powers like she did with the old Fall Maiden and tried to do with the Spring Maiden.

Ironwood nodded again, then opened the door for the amnesiac. "And Sera? You and your friends be careful. Remember, you all are still new huntsmen and huntresses. Keep an eye out."

"Keep an eye out for my sister, you stubborn girl," Winter said with a tiny hint of a smile.

She nodded, then left the office.

. . .

Sera made it to her team's room when the door abruptly slammed open. Sera jumped, startled, then a yellow hand grabbed her by the shirt and pulled her into the room.

"What'd Ironwood have to say?" Yang asked her once Sera was inside and the door was closed. The amnesiac noticed that it was just her and Yang in the room, and she wondered where the others had gone.

Sera considered not telling her, but then she remembered what Ironwood had said about not having secrets. The info about the Winter Maiden was free game. Taking a deep breath, she relayed to Yang everything that was talked about in the meeting. When she was done, Yang looked rather shell shocked.

"Well," she said, smacking her lips as if trying to get a bad taste out of her mouth. "That's definitely more than what Ruby said."

"I stayed to ask Ironwood something after she and the others left," Sera said.

"What question?" Yang raised an eyebrow.

Sera shrugged. "Just why I was invited to the meeting in the first place. I wasn't at the ambush, so I didn't really have anything to report. But he told me he wanted me there because of my license."

"B-ranking, yeah."

"Exactly. Said it was a good learning experience."

Yang shrugged. "If he says so. And he told you to just do whatever about Tyrian and Robyn?"

"Basically."

"Well, Blake and I are going to be on one of those decoy trucks to try and catch Robyn. You can come if you wanna." She poked Sera in the stomach playfully as she spoke.

Sera grinned and pushed her hand away. "Maybe. I dunno."

"Why not?" She quirked an eyebrow. "You just said you wanted to meet Robyn and give her a piece of your mind."

"Yeah, but Tyrian's also out there somewhere. He's loose and I don't want him to find us again." Sera shifted uncomfortably.

"Hey." Yang put a hand on her shoulder. "I know that fight was rough for you, but if he finds us again, we'll be ready. You're stronger now, right?"

"Well, yeah," Sera half-shrugged. "But you weren't there in Mistral when we fought him the first time. That man—no, that _monster_ is dangerous. Just ask your uncle."

"It'll be fine," Yang assured, then pulled Sera into a hug. The amnesiac blinked and hugged back, putting her head in the crook of Yang's neck. She breathed in the blonde's lemon scent and sighed contently.

"It's just stressful, this job," Sera said.

"Part of it," Yang chuckled.

"Yeah, but…" Sera chewed her lip. "Sometimes I think about Patch, and how quiet and peaceful it is, and—"

"And you just want to leave this all and go there?"

Sera nodded, and Yang chuckled and squeezed her tighter. "Can't say I really blame you there, Snowball. But you know that that's not gonna be possible for a while—maybe even years."

"I know." Sera looked up at her. Yang's eyes were soft and full of care, so similar to how she looks at Ruby. "Besides," she chuckled. "Who's gonna protect you all if I go somewhere?"

Then Yang squeezed her—hard. Sera gasped as she was lifted into the air and felt her ribs crushing her lungs. "Okay," she coughed. "Yup. I get it. No leaving."

"Damn right," Yang set her down. "Now, are you coming with me and Blake or what?"

Sera was coughing to get air back in her lungs. Once she was coherent enough, she met the blonde's eyes again. "I'm still not sure."

Yang shrugged, slightly disheartened. "That's okay. If you feel like you need to stop Tyrian, then I won't stop you. I understand what it's like, and Blake definitely would too."

"How?"

"When we went after Roman Torchwick back in our first semester at Beacon."

"Oh, right. You guys told me about that once." Sera nodded.

"Correct." Yang poked her on the nose.

The amnesiac grinned and glanced at her scroll. It was midafternoon. If Sera wanted to go after Tyrian, she'd have to do it at night. Unfortunately, that's also the most dangerous time to do it.

"I think I'll go after Tyrian after all. That guy needs to be taken in." Sera pounded her fists together in the same fashion as Yang. "Or taken out."

Yang frowned. "Taken out like—like that guy you told me about?"

Sera quirked an eyebrow in question, then it hit her. She was talking about Christian Castelo. In the first fight against Tyrian, Sera had gone head to head with the huntsman, and when she'd won, she… She put a bullet in his head. She forgets about it sometimes with everything she's been busy with, but Sera has killed a man.

She wondered if that made her a bad person, forgetting such an important, self-defining detail. None of her friends talked about it afterwards. Not even Qrow, who actually knew the man. Then again… Sera did kind of execute Christian in a brutal manner. They'd told Yang and Weiss everything that had happened on their journey to Mistral, but Sera had to explain the events of that fight in greater detail afterwards. Ruby nor anyone else mentioned it during their story.

"Maybe not _quite_ like that." Sera cast her eyes down. She could remember the look on Christian's face when she pointed the gun to his head. And she remembered not hesitating.

"Hey," Yang put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about it. You did what you had to do."

 _No, I really didn't have to._

"Yeah," Sera said. "Sure. So, when are you and Blake going for the decoy thing?" She asked, hoping to change the subject.

Yang frowned at her behavior. "Probably in an hour or so. What about you? When are you going after Tyrian?"

"Nighttime. Or whenever Qrow is, which is probably also at night."

"I don't think that's a good idea." Yang's face soured.

"Why?" Sera blinked.

The blonde shuffled her feet and glanced around the room.

"Are you…" Sera narrowed her eyes, a small smile appearing on her face. "Worried about me, Yang Xiao Long?"

"Don't be stupid. I know you'll be fine. Besides, we don't have time to worry." She crossed her arms.

Sera grinned and stepped right up to her, forcing Yang to meet her eyes. "You can show concern every once and a while; I'm not going to think less of you, you know."

"Who said I was concerned?" She cast her eyes to the side. Sera smiled and took Yang's face into her hands, forcing her to meet her eyes again.

"You just did, without even saying it."

Yang looked like she wanted to argue, but she seemed to melt when Sera brought their lips together. The amnesiac moved her hands to Yang's hips pressed their bodies together.

Heat rushed to their faces as Yang pulled Sera's leg up with a hand. The amnesiac's mind was racing at a hundred yards a second and she knew that _something_ was about to happen when she saw the look in Yang's eyes.

But before Sera could think "Uh-oh," someone cleared their throat, and the two of them immediately separated. Weiss had her head poked into the room with a blush the shade of Ruby's hood on her face. "Blake was looking for you, Yang."

"Got it. Thanks, Weiss." Yang rubbed the nape of her neck.

"And if you're gonna do that, how about it _doesn't_ take place in our room?"

"Weiss!" Warmth rushed to Sera's face.

"I'm just saying." She raised her hands in surrender and backed out of the room.

"Well." Sera idly tapped the floor with her toe, her face burning with embarrassment. Then Yang wrapped the amnesiac in a tight hug, then separated, holding Sera at arm's length.

"Rain check." She winked.

"Um—Er—Well—Uh…" Sera stuttered.

Yang grinned and pecked her on the forehead before putting her new sunglasses on and slipping out of the room. The amnesiac couldn't help but smile to herself touch her fingers to her lips.

"Well," she murmured. "That was a thing."

. . .

Several hours later, Sera met up with Qrow and Clover to begin their search for Tyrian Callows.

"Well, how's life been treating you, Miss B-license?" Qrow asked Sera. They'd just been dropped off in Mantle near the location of where the most recent body was found. Coincidentally, that person found dead was the man that was onboard the airship when Sera and the others were apprehended by the Ace Ops.

Sera's mind shot back to the moment she and Yang recently shared in their team's room. "Pretty good," she answered. "What about you, Bad Luck Charm?"

Qrow smirked and dusted his shirt off. "Better than in Mistral, that much is for certain."

"And you still look just as raggedy as you did before," Sera crossed her arms.

"And you look even grungier, Snowball," Qrow chuckled. "What's with your hair? Decided to copy Ruby?"

Sera huffed. " _Actually,_ I'd already done my hair this way before seeing Ruby. Maybe _she_ saw me doing my hair different and decided to do the same." Sera fixed her (lightly used) gel styled hair back into place with her fingers. Her hair was similar to Ruby's in terms of spikiness and being out of her face, but she wouldn't really say they were doing the same style.

"Whatever you say, Snowball."

Sera rolled her eyes at the huntsman. Some things never change. "So, what're we gonna do to find Tyrian?"

"Well, first we have to ask around and see if anyone's seen him," Clover responded.

The amnesiac's shoulders slumped. "That sounds boring."

"C'mon, you've done this before, Snowball. Remember the Hydra?" Qrow said.

"Yeah, that sucked too until we fought it."

"Welcome to the life of a huntsman," Clover chuckled.

"I think I miss Port's classes," Sera sighed.

"Don't worry. We'll find Tyrian in no time."

"Especially with me here," a new voice said. The three of them turned to see someone fizzle into existence with a trace of yellow electricity. "Captain," Harriet nodded at Clover, then greeted Sera and Qrow with a wave.

"Harriet," Clover said with surprise in his voice. "I didn't know you were going to be joining us."

The Ace Op shrugged. "Got bored of waiting for a decoy truck to get robbed. Thought I'd drop by and see if you three needed any help." Her eyes lingered on Sera momentarily.

 _Oh, great,_ she thought. _Here we go again._

"I think we're set. Right, old man?" Sera elbowed Qrow.

"Uh, right. Sera and I can do just about anything together when we put our minds to it." The Huntsman said.

"We could use all the help we can get," Clover insisted. "Besides, with another person helping, we can cover more ground."

"Split up?" Sera raised her eyebrows. "That's not a good idea, Clover."

"I'm with her on this one," Qrow said. "You should know that Tyrian's too dangerous for that plan."

"I know. But we _need_ to find him as quickly as we can. Look, if one of us finds him, we'll message the other team. That other team will hurry to the first team's location to assist," Clover explained.

Qrow sighed. "Fine. Sera and I will—"

"Oh, no, you don't, big guy. You need to come with me so _my_ good luck semblance will counteract _your_ bad luck semblance. What if Tyrian gets the jump on you because of it? Sera can go with Harriet to the east, and we'll search the west. I'm sending a picture of Tyrian to your scrolls so you can ask civilians if they've seen him anywhere." Clover tapped on his scroll until Sera felt hers vibrate in her pocket.

"Fantastic," Sera said with feigned enthusiasm.

"Fret not, Sera," Clover said. "Everything will be fine. If you run into any trouble, just call."

"Right," Sera rolled her eyes as she pocketed her scroll. "Well, better get to it." She took off in the general direction of east and shoved her hands into her pockets. Harriet hurried to catch up with her, showing up at Sera's side with a concerned look on her face.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, fine. Just wasn't expecting to split up like that." Sera didn't look over at her.

Harriet was silent for a few minutes before speaking again. "What's the deal? I mean, ever since we first found you all here in Mantle, you've been sour towards me."

Sera raised an eyebrow at her. Was she really clueless about why Sera acted like that. "Because," she said. "ever since that, you keep giving me weird looks. And not like 'this chick is strange' looks, but more like 'I have a thing for this weird chick.' And I don't like it. Because, I don't know if it's obvious, but me and Yang are kind of _together."_

"Pfft, it's because of _that?_ That's just me flirting. You can ask Elm or even Winter; I flirt with just about anyone that I find attractive." Harriet chuckled. "Don't take it personal, kid."

"Well, that's just—Wait, did you say attractive?"

Harriet smirked and kept walking.

"You know, you really remind me of someone I know—her name is Coco." Sera followed the Ace Op.

"Well, if she's like me, then she's probably good people," Harriet shrugged.

"You're not _entirely_ wrong," the amnesiac said, remembering her few encounters with the leader of team CFVY.

"And for the record, you and that blonde seem to work well together."

Sera smirked. "I know."

. . .

Three hours. That's how long it took for them to find something of interest. Even then, it was still useless information to them.

Sera and Harriet asked around regarding Tyrian. No one had seen or heard of him, and they had just barely kept it secret that he was a serial killer on the loose. Finally, a man recalled that he'd seen someone fitting Tyrian's description. Unfortunately, that had been days ago, and no one's seen him since.

"Great," Sera kicked stray tin can in frustration. "A whole night, and we haven't found anything."

"The average night of policing, then." Harriet pulled her scroll out. After a quick call to Clover, she reported what the two of them had found out. Apparently, Clover and Qrow hadn't found anything either, so they were all in the same boat.

"All right, then. Head back to the airship, we're done for tonight." Clover sighed.

"Any news on Robyn?" Sera asked.

"None as far as I know. I've received no reports on if one of the decoys have been attacked."

"Understood," Harriet said. "Leaving for the ship now." Then she hung up and pocketed her scroll. "Come on, Snowball."

Sera threw a piece of scrap at the woman. When Harriet turned to look at her, Sera was giving her best death glare. "I told you," she said. "Only Yang gets to call me that."

"Yeah, yeah. Just come on already." She waved for Sera to follow.

The amnesiac crossed her arms and kicked another piece of trash aside, mumbling under her breath.

Another half-hour of walking, they made it to the airship, where Qrow and Clover were waiting.

"Well, I see you're empty-handed, Snowball." Qrow said. He was leaning against the airship with his arms crossed.

"You've got no room to talk, old man." Sera trudged up the landing ramp and took a seat. "Let's just get back to Atlas. I'm about to pass out from how boring this was."

Clover chuckled and boarded, Harriet and Qrow behind him. "Fine, fine. It's been a long night, so make sure to get some rest for tomorrow."

"Another mission?" Harriet asked.

"Not necessarily, but we need to be ready for anything. There's no telling what could happen since Jacques won the election."

"Good point."

"Are we continuing the search tomorrow?" Sera asked.

"Perhaps tomorrow night. Though I can't promise that we'll find anything then," Clover admitted.

"We'll get 'im eventually, kid," Qrow said.

"Unless he gets us," Sera murmured. That seemed to unsettle the other huntsmen.

. . .

When Sera stumbled into her team's room, it was nearly past three in the morning. Ruby and Weiss were in their beds sleeping blissfully, but Yang and Blake were missing. _Probably still out in that decoy truck,_ Sera thought as she kicked her boots off and clambered up to her bunk.

Without even bothering to undress, she pulled a blanket up to her chin and allowed her heavy eyelids to close.

And her next dream was vivid and rather disturbing.

It started as just a blank expanse of darkness. Sera had no body, just a conscious floating through the blackness.

Gruesome images of the Grimm suddenly flashed through the darkness. Villages burned, bloody bodies were strewn across the ground, and the Grimm's eyes burned red in every image.

Then, a voice spoke. It was deep and malevolent and sounded ancient, as if it'd seen the best and worst of the world.

"They are hatred. Brutal; without mercy. But you—" an image of Sera appeared in the darkness. Her skin was pale, and black veins webbed along her arms and on the sides of her face. She stood atop a large and cracked boulder with black volcanic-like crag around her. Sera held Amethyst Ivory in her hands mid-swing, and her eyes glowed with an even higher-intensity red than the Grimm that surrounded her.

"You will be far worse than them," the voice continued. "Rip and tear until it is done, and the evil is gone."

Sera sat bolt upright in bed, her chest heaving. Sweat perspired on her forehead and body, her blankets clinging to her limbs.

"What the hell?" she asked breathlessly. She replayed the images of the dream in her head, but they were fading fast. She stared hard at the bedding, concentrating on remembering the disturbing dream.

Unfortunately, the mysterious voice's words blurred together until she couldn't remember what was said, except for three words.

"Hey," a voice said tiredly. Sera turned to see Yang looking up at her. Apparently, the blonde had returned from her decoy truck assignment.

She straightened her tank top and sat up on her elbows to meet the amnesiac's eyes. "You look… Shaken."

"I just had the weirdest dream," Sera told her.

"About?"

"I can't remember."

Yang quirked an eyebrow. "That helps a ton."

"I know, right?" Sera sighed and held her head in her hands. "I remember that I saw myself, but I don't remember what I was doing."

Yang pulled one of her hands away and placed a hand on the amnesiac's cheek. "Hey, you're okay."

"I keep having these dreams, and I either don't know what to make of them or I forget them before I can tell anyone. And they're all so—so unsettling."

"We'll get to the bottom of it," Yang promised.

"Will we?" she looked up. "Will _I?"_

"Definitely," she hugged Sera tightly. "Now come on, we've only got a few hours before our official rest time ends."

Sera smirked tiredly. "All right then," she said as she relaxed against the mattress. "Might as well sleep while I can before having to go on whatever wacky adventure we have tomorrow—if we have one, that is."

 _ **It's been a while since I did an author's end note, but here it is. Apologies if this chapter and the last chapter seem a bit boring and/or lazy. It's only a month into this semester at my university and things are already getting tough. I usually do my writing when I'm done with classes for the day, but lately I've kind of fell out of writing and I've been spending a lot more time with my friends and girlfriend.**_

 _ **Anyway, I'm glad people still like this story, even though the Vol. 7 chapters are probably riddled with spelling and grammatical errors because I never check my own writing. I enjoy writing the story and it's preparing me to write my own book I've had in mind for a while.**_

 _ **To address the recent Guest comments on , I cannot reply to your questions and comments because you have to have an account; it won't let me reply to Guest comments. But here's my answers to what you have to say:**_

(Chapter 6) Huh. Cinder's still the full, new Fall Maiden? I guess Pyrrha didn't get the transfer of what Amber still had, then?  
Yang still losing the arm. Guess Sera's influence didn't quite manage to avert that. (With the 'think more instead of just punching', and Sera's decision to try not to rely on her semblance.) Though it feels like it did slightly alter things.

 _ **In the show, Pyrrha didn't keep any of the power that had gone into her. At least, not from what I could tell. Cinder interrupted it and the second half of the Maiden power went into her. And with Yang's arm, I decided to have her not have it cut off because that seems like a major character-defining moment for her.**_

(Chapter 21) Very cool. Does the Akame Ga Kill OC fanfiction idea sound good?

 _ **If this is the same guy that's mentioned this before, I'm sorry, but I don't think an Akame Ga Kill fic is going to happen simply because I don't know anything about it and I do not want to watch the show. No offense or anything, but it doesn't really pique my interest.**_

(Chapter 1) Omega symbol tattoo with amnesia? Huh. Well, it's probably not a surprise crossover thing, especially considering the one thing I can think of that has those two traits linked together would also have other bits.  
Plus, you know, memories of being a huntress.  
Kind of curious what that tattoo is about, though. Time affecting semblance makes me wonder if Sera got time traveled as well. Probably some sort of experimentation done on her as well.

 _ **All will be revealed later in the story.**_

 _ **Thank you all for your input, any (constructive) criticism is accepted so that I can improve myself on whatever is being criticized, be it the story telling or the writing itself. Honestly, if I had the time and patience, I would rewrite this whole story from the beginning. I could make it much better than it is in its current state, and I'd make the story start from like volume 1 instead of between two and three. Literally the only reason I started it so late is that at the time, every fanfic I read started off in volume 1 in generally the same way, so I thought "I'm gonna do it differently." But now, I regret starting it so late. Sera could have bonded with her team much more before the Fall of Beacon, so it would've been a harder hit for her. Plus, more hints that she and Yang would become a thing *wink***_

 _ **P.S., you all have probably noticed the hinting about Sera's transformed state and "making it her own." I've been pretty excited about it, but I'm still nailing down the exact changes being made. But all I'm going to leave you with as a hint to it are the initials D.T.**_

 _ **Anyway, that's enough of my ranting. Honestly, I don't know when the next chapter will be out, so stay tuned.**_


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